Attacked cannabis farmer caught after ending up on roof of neighbour’s conservatory in Sunderland

A cannabis farmer was caught after ending up on his neighbor’s conservatory when he was attacked.

On March 28, a woman living next door to a house where Markeljano Deleu had been staying was woken by the sound of banging and shouting on her conservatory roof. Deleu was up there and shouting “help me, help me”.

Police were called and he said he had been attacked by men in the house and he was bleeding and dropping £10 notes when leaving the roof. When officers searched the house, they found 50 to 70 cannabis plants.

Deleu, 27, of no fixed address, who has no previous convictions, admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis on the basis he was a gardener. He was jailed for 16 months at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court heard he had entered the county illegally after racking up £20,000 in debts in Albania. He said he was taken from Sheffield to Sunderland and told if he watered the plants his debt would be written off. He said he was scared and so agreed.

Claire Anderson, defending, said: “He got into debt in his home country and was brought to the UK to try to clear that debt. The defendant knows he will be deported once he has served his sentence.”