Zhou Ming was found unanimously not guilty of being involved in the cultivation of cannabis after a two-day trial at Chester Crown Court.
During the trial Ming, of no fixed address, appeared with the aid of a Mandarin translater and said he was wo
rking as a decorator at Cotebrook Drive in Upton, where the cannabis was discovered.
George Hewitt and his brother-in-law Steven Jones bought the house and rented it out to a man called Soon Tchai Zhang and known as "Steve."
Holes were found in walls, screws and poles across the ceiling and sheets taped to the windows. The house also had special electric lighting under which to grow the cannabis.
Ming admitted possessing a false identity card which he had bought for £100 and was sentenced to nine months in prison. Because Ming is an illegal immigrant from China he will be deported after serving the sentence.
The court heard that Ming came to the UK to earn money in June 2005 because his family in China owed the equivalent of £20,000 after they fell victim to a fraudster.
During evidence he said he heard other men talking about "cannabis" but that he didn't know what it was.
John Oates, prosecuting, said: "He said he was merely a decorator and thought he was cultivating 'valuable flowers',
The jury of eight women and four men took just 50 minutes to come to its verdict.
Sentencing him for possessing a false identity card, Judge Janet Case said: "I accept for the most part you are a decent and hardworking man.
"The least sentence I can impose is one of nine months imprisonment of which you will serve half."
Ming has already served 67 days in custody which will be deducted from the sentence.
The full article contains 326 words and appears in Evening Leader Chester newspaper.
