TEN drug dealers have been jailed for more than 50 years between them for conspiracies that flooded the Bournemouth and Poole area with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine.

Linked police investigations saw the local men brought to justice during a number of trials and other court hearings that lasted several months.

Most were sent to prison in November last year but a court order banning publication of the details of their crimes has only just been lifted.

The men, many of whom appeared as respectable businessmen and with young families, were given varying sentences ranging from 10 years to 12 months.

Judge John Harrow told them: “This case demonstrates the familiar picture of drug addiction and getting into drug debt.

“The consequences of imprisonment on your families are taken into account. You all went into this with your eyes open – you were all in it for personal gain.”

The court heard John Beckett and Richard Lambe played the biggest roles, obtaining cocaine in large quantities.

Sentencing Beckett to 10 years Judge Harrow said: “You were almost hyperactive in your dealings with obtaining and supplying cocaine in large quantities.

“Your turnover must have amounted to hundreds of thousands of pounds and you lived well on it. You were the hub of a network of buyers and suppliers.

“You arranged for drugs money to be dropped off and collected but you were very careful indeed to ensure that no drugs were ever in you possession – others had to take those risks.”

Judge Harrow described the conspiracy as “a large, intensive, big-money operation” and told Beckett: “You played one of the leading roles.”

The offences took place between June 2009 and July 2010 and the court was told how large quantities of drugs were brought into Dorset, mainly from the Liverpool area.

The cocaine, initially in packs of one or one-and-a-half kilos was mixed with other substances to maximise proft and re-packaged into smaller amounts to be sold on.

Covert police opeations witnessed drugs deals in many locations including the Seaview view point in Poole, Poole Road, Westbourne, Lloyds Bank car park in Commercial Road, Poole, Tower Park and the former Mountbatten Arms pub in Wallisdown.

Detective Sergeant Dave Webster of the Dorset Police Major Crime Investigation Team said: “Dorset Police is committed to tackling organised crime and this shows that we will use all the resources at our disposal to infiltrate, disrupt and bring to justice those involved in this type of serious criminal activity. These criminals are feeding from the misery and anguish of all those caught up and affected by their greed. They cause untold heartache for all those law abiding people in Dorset who have been subject to crime in order to fund those who have become addicted to drugs.”

The charges

• JOHN BECKETT, 28, of King Richard Drive, Bournemouth. Pleaded guilty to three conspirary offences. Jailed for 10 years. Worked for solar energy company Self Gen. Previous convictions for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

• RICHARD LAMBE, 47, of Hurn Way, Christchurch. Pleaded guilty to three conspiracy offences. Jailed for 10 years. Previous for burglary and dishonesty.

• GLYN JONES, 43, of Brampton Road, Poole. Pleaded not guilty to one charge of conspiracy but was found guilty by a jury and jailed for eight years. Pleaded guilty to possession of a stun gun and jailed for 12 months concurrent. Bought cocaine from Coulson, sub-divided it and sold it on for gain. Previous for possession of drugs, dishonesty, possession of a prohibited weapon and mortgage fraud.

• ANDREW GILCHRIST, 36, of Richmond Park Road, Bournemouth. Pleaded to guilty to two conspiracy charges. Jailed for five yers and four months. Bought drugs from Coulson. Drug-related activities described by judge as “part of your daily life”. Previous for violence and driving offences.

• BRIAN COULSON, 54, of Bournemouth Road, Poole. Pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges. Jailed for six years and eight months. Had his own garage business, Wood Welding, for 25 years. Has a three-year-old son and his partner is pregnant. Bought large amounts of cocaine from Lambe, bulked it out and sold it on for profit. Previous for dishonesty, possession of a prohibited weapon and cannabis.

• TERENCE GRAVES, 70, of Dunmere Road, Torquay. Pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy. Jailed for 12 months. Received £500 as a courier of amphetamines. Previous for dishonesty.

• ROWAN TOWER, 31, of Bournemouth Road, Poole. Pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge. Jailed for four years. Stored drugs in his father’s barn for Coulson and re-packaged them. Previous for obstructing a police officer.

• DAVID MARRON, 64, of Heathfield Road, West Moors, Ferndown. Pleaded not guilty to one conspiracy charge but found guilty by a jury and jailed for five years. Described as Beckett’s driver and “at his beck and call.” Previous for dishonesty and driving offences.

• DAVID EATON, 36, of Daisy Close, Poole. Pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge. Jailed for three-and-a-half years. He supplied the press used to deal with the cocaine. Has a three-year-old son. Previous for possession and supply of cocaine, shoplifting, dishonesty and public order offences.

• MARK HENDER, 44, of Brook Road, Bournemouth. Pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy. Jailed for four-and-a-half years. Driver for Andrew Gilchrist. Lives with his 75-year-old mum. A cocaine user who formerly worked as a ground worker for Hooper Construction. Previous for commmon assault, possession of crack cocaine and dishonesty.