AN ILLEGAL immigrant caught tending hundreds of marijuana plants in a suburban house has not been recommended for deportation when he finishes his jail sentence.

Vietnamese national Toan Nguyen, aged 32, was living in the house in Sutherland Road, Belvedere, when it was raided by police on January 5 after a tip-off.

Prosecutor Arizuna Asante told Woolwich Crown Court Nguyen has been hired to look after the plants and was being paid £300 a week.

Police seized 551 plants described as mature or budding, as well as 204 younger plants, which were being grown throughout the house.

Large amounts of fertiliser were scattered around the house, which was equipped with lamps to help the plants grow faster.

When arrested, Nguyen confessed he was being paid to look after the plants.

He pleaded guilty to growing cannabis at Greenwich Magistrates' Court.

Nguyen, who is married with three children, told the court he had been working in the Czech Republic before coming to Britain illegally four months ago.

He claimed he had been hired as a house-sitter but had not known the plants were cannabis.

Nguyen said he only found he was taking care of a cannabis factory when he complained he had not been paid.

The owners told him he would have to wait for his money until the plants produced a drugs crop.

But he admitted he had carried on looking after the plants even after he found out what they were.

Nguyen was sentenced to six months in jail after admitting one charge of cultivating cannabis.

Lee Sergent, mitigating, said Nguyen was at the bottom of the drugs operation.

He asked Judge Michael Carroll not to recommend Nguyen for deportation, despite admitting he was in Britain illegally.

Despite initially asking "Why should anyone in this country consider he is entitled to remain here?" the judge said he had been "persuaded" Nguyen was not enough of a risk to the public for him to recommend deportation.