A young Vietnamese woman ended up working in a cannabis factory after her widowed mum sold her home to send her to England to pursue a career, a court heard.

Lan Thi Hoang's mother sold her home to help raise the £20,000 fee to get her to the UK, after she was assured she would be working as a manicurist in London.

The reality was different.

She took a flight to France before being smuggled into the UK in the back of a camper van, but was caught and sent back to France, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Hoang (23) then sneaked back into the country illegally.

She was met by two men, who took her to Leicester to work as a cannabis gardener, at a converted house in Loughborough Road.

When police raided the property they seized 300 plants in various stages of cultivation. Five areas, including the basement and attic, were used for cultivation, with lighting systems in place and the electricity meter was by-passed, said Meena Evans, for the prosecution.

Sally Bamford, in mitigation, said: "She was told she could get lucrative work in a nail bar in London."

Hoang was expecting to earn enough money to send home to support her family, including her grandparents.

Ms Bamford said: "She was forced to work as a gardener.

"These men knew about her circumstances and preyed upon her. She was forbidden to speak to anyone or to leave the house.

"Even if she did leave the house, she couldn't speak the language.

"She was given meagre food, lodgings and no payment.

"She's genuinely remorseful and actively wants to be deported home."

Hoang, who wept throughout the hearing, admitted cultivating cannabis, between December 11 last year and February 11 this year.

She was jailed for 18 months and is due to be deported after her sentence.

Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: "You immediately admitted your part in this.

"You came here hoping to get legal work and make some money for your family at home and paid a lot of money to do that. I've no doubt you were working for people more responsible than you.

"People like you, who live in strained circumstances at home, are ripe for exploitation by those who want assistance in their criminal enterprises."