A man who admitted involvement in the production of £1 million worth of cannabis has had his guilty plea vacated after it was determined he was the victim of human trafficking.

Le Van Khiem, 29, of no fixed address, was arrested after police executed a warrant at a property in China Lane, Bulphan.

In June this year, police officers acting upon intelligence found a total of 1,307 plants, which varied in growth from infant to adult sizes. All the plants were later removed and destroyed.

Mr Khiem, who is from Vietnam and does not speak a word of English, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates court in July where he pleaded guilty to being concerned with the production of a controlled drug.

Because of the quantity of cannabis, which is a class B drug, the matter was sent to the crown court for sentencing but a concern was raised by the court that Mr Khiem may have been illegally trafficked into the country.

At Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday this week, Judge David Pugh said: “It has been determined that this defendant is a victim of human trafficking and the consequence is that the national prosecution principle applies.”

The judge outlined legal principles that direct courts to protect and assist those who have been victims of trafficking rather than prosecute them. He then agreed to vacate the guilty plea.

Defending Mr Khiem, barrister Nick Bonehill said: “Mr Khiem has a young family and he is desperate to return to Vietnam to see them.

“Papers will be served on him by the relevant Home Office agencies to seek what assistance he needs to make it home to Vietnam. He has not applied for any kind of asylum or leave to remain in the country. He wants to go home.

“On his release from custody he will have to make contact with the desired agency. It will be up to immigration what if any restrictions they impose on him.

“I have been with him since this came to crown and I’m confident that anything asked of him that will assist him in leaving this country he will do.”

The hearing was concluded and Judge Pugh thanked both the prosecution and the defence for their work on what he described as “an unusual case”.

Speaking after the hearing, prosecutor Matthew Bagnall said: “This is certainly the first case of this kind that I have been involved in. I don’t know that the legislation is all that new but it just doesn’t come around very often.”