A Chinese man who was kept in servitude in a cannabis grow house tending to plants with a potential value of over €1 million has been given a three year sentence.

Defence counsel claim that Wen Lin (36) may prove to be a victim of human trafficking, following further investigation. Lin said his family in China were in debt to fraudsters and their only option to repay had been to put him up for transfer for Europe.

Lin, of no fixed abode but originally from the Fu Jian province in China, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivation of cannabis at Henrietta Place in Dublin on November 20th 2012. He has been in custody since his arrest.

Judge Desmond Hogan said he was prepared to accept that Lin was vulnerable, that others preyed on that vulnerability and he was exploited. He noted that nonetheless Lin was providing a valuable service admittedly at some cost to himself.

Judge Hogan imposed a three year sentence backdated to November 2012 when Lin went into custody. He said he would suspend the final nine months on condition he consent to leaving the country with the assistance of gardai.

Garda Michael Lennon told Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, that he and a colleague went to a disused restaurant premises in Henrietta Place, a laneway parallel to Bolton Street.

He said they had got the key from the owner and had access to the shutters but had to force entry to a door inside. They found Lin inside along with 670 mature cannabis plants and 821 immature plants.

Garda Lennon said the mature plants had a total value of €536,000 and the immature plants had a potential value at maturity of €656,800.

Lin, who has little English, had two mobile phones and a laptop with wi-fi access with him.

Garda Lennon said there were a number of pictures of Lin at various places around the country on the phone and he appeared to be at liberty. He said he did not find a key to the inside door of the grow house but Lin did have means of communication in the phones and laptop.

Lin told gardai the grow house had been set up by another man and said he thought they were tea plants. There was food provided for him, a sofa bed to sleep on and a "rather unsanitary toilet".

Feargal Kavanagh SC, defending, said there had been an application before the High Court in which it was alleged Lin was in illegal custody as a result of being trafficked.

Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan at the High Court in April did not find Lin was trafficked but found he was being kept in servitude.

Mr. Kavanagh said the investigation was on-going and if it that could be proven he was trafficked Lin was entitled to certain rights such as a prohibition on prosecution or punishment.

He submitted that Lin was on the very lowest rung of the ladder and that gardai had in fact rescued him from servitude.