A PREGNANT woman allowed her Lower Gornal home to be used as a cannabis farm instead of paying rent.

The farm, on Deepdale Road contained a full hydroponic set up and 37 cannabis plants, it was capabable of producing drugs worth around £60,000 per year.

However Louise Greensill, aged 24, avoided a prison sentence after Wolverhampton Crown Court was told she made no cash from the farm.

When cops raided the property they discovered plants in various stages of maturity looked after by Greensill and her former boyfriend Andrew Dempster until the breakdown of their relationship when she moved back to her parent's home.

Jane Sarginson, prosecuting, said the pair looked after the plants and were allowed to stay in the house rent free.

Greensill, now of Melvyn Road, Bilston admitted allowing her home to be used for the production of cannabis on the basis that she had been placed under pressure and she was fearful of her own safety.

Dempster, aged 25, of Ashtree Grove, Walsall, admitted producing the class B drug on the basis he was no more than a gardener for the plants, he was jailed for 22 months.

Judge Mark Eades told Greensill he was just able to allow her to keep her freedom and she was given an 18 week jail term suspended for one year coupled with 12 months supervision.

Timothy Sapwell, for Greensill, stressed the Dudley property did not belong to her and she had always lived in fear of the cannabis factory being found by police.

The court was told neither Greensill or Dempster had made any financial gains from the production of the cannabis.