A CRIMINAL who smashed his way through a roof to try and evade capture has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment.

Saimir Mingaj, aged 22, of no fixed abode fled from police officers, who were carrying out a drugs warrant in Whitefield.

In the house Greater Manchester Police officers found around 250 cannabis plants with a potential value of more than £150,000.

Officers executed their warrant at a house in Bury New Road at 3pm on Saturday, December 9.

Police officers surrounded the property and broke down the back door, leading Mingaj to flee to the loft and break through the roof tiles.

Mingaj then climbed out onto the roof and ran along the terraced tops. Members of the public alerted the police to his whereabouts.

He eventually dropped down from the roof into a back yard and tried to escape across a car park but was chased down by a police officer.

Inside the property officers found two rooms and the loft area had been given over to cannabis production, there were around 100 small cuttings and 250 plants with a potential value of £150,000.

PC Richard Garland, said: "This was a great result in getting drugs off the street and thanks to members of the local community who assisted us."

Mingaj was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, Minshull Street on January 9 for one count of production of a Class B controlled drug, cannabis.

He was fined £140 victim surcharge and the plants and equipment were destroyed.

Mingaj, who is from Albania, is due to be deported after his sentence.