A “VULNERABLE” woman who “allowed” men to set up a cannabis factory in her home has been jailed.

Kim Light, aged 44, admitted production of cannabis and abstracting electricity at Salisbury Crown Court on May 19.

But defence barrister, Gemma White, said Light “played a lesser role” in the operation in return for money to buy her children Christmas presents.

Police attended Light’s address in Penruddock Close, Salisbury, on December 15, 2016 and found her with her partner, 14-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter.

Prosecuting, Thomas Acworth said police found 35 cannabis plants in one bedroom, with a street value of about £16,500.

The walls were covered in white plastic, and the window in plywood and black plastic, and lamps and fans were being used.

The plants would give a yield of just under 2kg of cannabis, with a street value of about £16,500.

Light was arrested and gave a no comment interview to police.

The next day housing officer Paul Mills attended and asked to see the electricity box.

Light told him the men running the factory were giving her money for the electricity, but Mr Mills confirmed the supply had been tampered with. Light said she had no knowledge that the electricity was being abstracted.

Light said it was initially “a few plants”, but the men put a lock on the bedroom door and she “didn’t go upstairs after that”.

She later accepted that she allowed her home to be used by someone else but was told it would be a couple of plants.

Light said she was told it would be made “worth her while”.

Miss White said Light was “a vulnerable lady” suffering from alcoholism and mental health difficulties living in “difficult circumstances” and had been “the subject of cuckooing”.

She said Light was “made an offer” but the “financial advantage was not loads of money” it was being able to afford presents for her children, who no longer live with her.

Sentencing, Judge Parkes QC said: “The presence of your children while this operation was going on plainly makes matters considerably worse. The fact is whatever you were going to spend the money on, you did this for money.

“You certainly weren’t pressured, coerced or intimidated in any way.

“This was a serious professional operation that you were playing a part in, and you were going to do your bit to put more of this wretched, life-destroying drug on the streets of Salisbury.”

Judge Parkes sentenced Light to four months in prison for production of cannabis and abstracting electricity at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday.

Light, who did not name the men involved, has 11 previous convictions, including fraud, theft and other drug offences, including producing and supplying cannabis.