A 52-year-old man has been jailed after police found a cannabis factory in the basement of a Sydenham property.

Colin Davies, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production of class B drugs and received a 38-month sentence at Woolwich Crown Court.

On June 21 last year, officers acting on local intelligence carried out a drugs raid at a house in Kent House Road at around 10.45am.

Inside the address a cannabis factory was found and Davies was immediately detained.

The basement was divided into rooms with full hydrophonics, timers for electricity and water and drying rooms with plants at various stages of growth.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Matt Morgan said: “Davies had bypassed the electricity meter and its estimated that EDF lost tens of thousands of pounds as a result.

“The temperatures in the basement where the drugs were found was unbearable with temperature readings over 50 degrees, the demand on the domestic electricity supply was so strong there was a serious risk of fire and other properties either side of the address being damaged, endangering the lives of the occupants.”

He added: “Drugs is not a victimless crime, it causes misery and I am glad that the court has seen it fit to jail Davies for this length of time.”