POLICE used a telephone interpreter service to inform a Polish man living in Clackmannan that he was being arrested for growing £10,000 worth of cannabis, a court has heard.

Ryszard Zakrzewski pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug from his former address on Millbank Crescent during an appearance at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday, September 15.

The court heard from fiscal depute Alex Kirk that 64-year-old Zakrzewski grew the plants between April 1 and October 10 last year.

The offence came to light after police received intelligence about the cultivation, and were then granted a warrant to search Zakrzewski's property.

At around 10am on October 10, officers entered his home and it was "immediately apparent that there was a cultivation, as tents had been erected within".

Ms Kirk said: "The accused was located within the kitchen of the locus.

"The nature of the enquiry was explained to the accused with the assistance of a telephone interpreting service.

"A systematic search of the property was conducted by police, and a number of items were found.

"Police discovered a sophisticated cultivation, with a total of 25 cannabis plants."

They also discovered four tents, seven fans, eight dehumidifiers, 12 lamps and a range of other paraphernalia required to grow cannabis.

The total value of the plants – which Zakrzewski initially tried to claim were only for "medical purposes" – was estimated to be £10,000.

Zakrzewski was arrested and charged, and appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court on October 11, where he was committed for further examination and granted bail.

Last week, appearing in the dock alongside an interpreter, he confirmed he would plead guilty to producing the drug.

A plea of not guilty to a second charge of being involved in the supply of cannabis was accepted by the Crown.

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentencing Zakrzewski, now residing at Bridge Terrace in Alloa, until October 20 for the preparation of a background report and a restriction of liberty order assessment.

His bail was continued until that date.