A VIETNAMESE man accused of cultivating a £100,000 cannabis farm in Saltcoats says he was the victim of human trafficking.

Quyet Nguyen appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week with an interpreter. He was charged with producing a class B drug at an address in Sidney Street between September 21 and December 7 last year.

The 38-year-old stood in silence in the dock as his lawyer, Douglas McPhee, explained they were awaiting a report from the Home Office which, he believes will confirm he had been trafficked to Scotland from Vietnam.

Mr McPhee said: “Having spoken to Mr Nguyen through the interpreter his position most definitely is that he was the victim of human trafficking.

“It seems appropriate that we wait on the decision by the relevant authority.

“I have spoken to Mr Nguyen to see if he has heard anything from the Home Office and he has not."

However Sheriff Iona MacDonald warned Nguyen that even if the report conforms he was trafficked to Scotland, he would most likely still face jail time as it is not a legal defence in Scotland.

She told him: “The crown have advised that the Home Office decision has not yet been made as to whether they believe you are a victim of Human Trafficking or not.

“It’s a defence in England, but it’s not a legal defence in Scotland, it simply goes to mitigation.”

Fiscal depute Stewart McMillan told the court he was not hopeful for a Home Office decision any time soon.

He said: “I don’t have much hope in a decision being made as this matter has dragged on for some time.”

Sheriff MacDonald warned Nguyen that she would be sentencing him at the next court date, with or without the Home Office report.

She said: “I will deal with this matter on the next occasion whether or not we have a decision from the Home Office.

“I will base my decision on the information I have before me, both from the social work department and from yourself.

“I am going to require the Home Office, and I’ve asked the Procurator Fiscal to make it clear to them that a decision by them should be made prior to the next calling at court. You will continue to be remanded in custody.”

Nguyen will appear in court again on August 10 for sentencing.