A man caught growing cannabis plants worth up to £24,000 escaped through his back garden when police came knocking.

Marcin Szcucinsk had 48 cannabis plants growing across two bedrooms of his home in Kingsclere Avenue, Weston, a court heard.

Prosecuting, Andrew Houston told the court how Szcucinsk “closed the blinds” and “made an escape out the back garden” when he saw officers outside.

Once inside the property, they dismantled the operation.

They estimated the plants to be worth £200 per ounce, with a wholesale value of between £19,000 and £24,000.

READ MORE: Everything we know after cannabis factory discovered in terraced homes

Mr Houston said: “£850 in cash notes was found, along with 210 Euros.

“A search also revealed there were two bags of cannabis in the kitchen, and two bags in the freezer.

“Bags of cannabis were also found down by the oven, along with two jars containing cannabis and several vacuum pack bags, and seeds to grow marijuana.

“A total of 4kg in cannabis was seized from his address.”

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A week after making his escape, Szcucinsk handed himself in at Southampton Central police station.

The 31-year-old appeared before Southampton Crown Court on February 20 to be sentenced for producing cannabis and for possession with intent to supply.

He previously pleaded guilty.

But mitigating, Khalid Missouri, said his client was “very isolated” at the time he was growing the drug.

He said: “He did have significant financial commitments and he was struggling to meet them.

“When he split from his partner, he was smoking cannabis and was very isolated which is when he decided to get involved in the offences.

“He knew there was a significant financial advantage to this.

“The defendant is very concerned about being deported; he has strong family ties here.”

The court heard that the plants were discovered by Met Police officers from an extradition unit on January 9 this year. 

Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “I know you are awaiting a jail sentence in Poland, but that has no bearing on the sentence I must pass.

“These are two offences involving significant amounts of cannabis.”

He was jailed for two years and two months.