A CANNABIS farmer who claimed he was forced to tend a drugs farm after he was threatened with “a bullet” has been convicted by a jury and faces prison.

Larry St Ange, 35, had told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court he was “tricked” into accepting a job tending a cannabis farm totalling more than 1,000 plants, worth more than £1million.

The court heard the “enormous” class B drug factory was found across several floors of the former Old Rectory Care Home, in Spring Lane, Lexden.

The court heard the plants were being grown as part of a “sophisticated” set up with lights, heating and a watering system.

St Ange, Ali Acer, 37, and a third man, Erdal Ozmen, who has already admitted a charge of producing a class B drug, were found sleeping in a ground-floor room.

Jerry Hayes, prosecuting, said: “The room was large and contained three beds, which were mattresses on top of wooden crates, and next to each bed were large knives and weapons.”

Gazette: Seized - police raided the disused care home and found an 'enormous' drugs factorySeized - police raided the disused care home and found an 'enormous' drugs factory

After his arrest, Acer asserted he had not spent long at the property and had only been asked to attend to fix problems with the building’s electricity supply.

St Ange and Acer each denied producing a class B drug.

St Ange confirmed to prosecutor Jerry Hayes he had been approached last year while he was exercising in a London park by men wearing “sharp clothes and driving smart cars”.

The court heard the men befriended St Ange before offering him a job refurbishing and renovating a property, but did not specify where the property was or how much he would be paid.

St Ange claimed when he realised the job was tending to a cannabis factory he tried to refuse, but was threatened with a gun.

The jury unanimously convicted St Ange, of Shepherd’s Bush Road, Hammersmith.

Acer, of Bodney Road, London, was cleared of the charge.

St Ange will face sentence tomorrow.