Drugs gang get 80 years in jail

The gang was involved in a plot to supply Class A drugs and cannabis to people in the Telford and Shrewsbury areas for almost a year.

They ran the Phoenix Car Centre in Shrewsbury, which was used as a front by the drugs network and was the subject of both video and audio surveillance during a lengthy West Mercia Police investigation.

At Stafford Crown Court yesterday ringleaders Jonathan Rochford and Scott Dodd were sentenced to eight and 10 years respectively.

Cage fighter Lee Stevens, celebrated in the press for his charity fundraising efforts, was jailed for 56 months after the court heard of his involvement in 'cutting' and weighing the drugs for distribution.

Deborah Northwood, 42, was today starting a two-and-a-half year jail term.

Passing sentence Judge Michael Chambers QC said Rochford and Dodd had played a leading role in a 'large and sophisticated commercial operation' carried out with ruthless determination. He said all the defendants had been involved in an 'evil and pernicious' trade for personal gain.

Police said the gang was 'motivated by greed' and were 'prepared to use violence' to protect the operation, he said.

For two pages of background reports, see today's Shropshire Star

Cocaine and heroin of high purity was obtained from various parts of the country and diluted and bulked out to sell on the streets to secure greater profits.

Judge Chambers said: "The seizures of drugs during the police investigation were a snapshot of quantities involved. The initial purity was as high as 56 or 66 per cent."

He said an aggravating feature was the threat and, sometimes, the use of violence to enforce discipline among co-conspirators, warn competitors and instil fear in buyers.

"Those at the top of pyramid wanted to cultivate a reputation for violence," he said.

Two of the group considered as enforcers were involved in cage fighting and martial arts. One of them was Stevens.

Rochford, 30, a Ministry of Defence worker, of Lake End Drive, Brookside, and Dodd, 35, of Ludlow Drive, Stirchley, had admitted conspiring to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

All those jailed yesterday had admitted conspiring to variously supply cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis between July 2011 and May last year.

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Wells of Telford Police said: "We are pleased the investigation has resulted in so many convictions and I'd like to thank the investigating team.

"I would also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service. This really was a great example of a force-led, Serious and Organised Crime Unit operation being excellently supported by many other departments."