THE prime mover and driving force behind the Swindon end of a major drugs ring has been jailed for seven years.

Vincent Gibbs, 38, of Croft Road, Old Town, stood with his head bowed as he was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis resin.

In all, seven people were jailed for a total of 37 years by Judge David Ticehurst at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.

There was uproar in court after family and friends were led away shouting and swearing as sentences were passed.

Before he sent them to prison Judge Ticehurst told the seven: "They (drugs) corrupt and destroy the lives of far too many people. Those who become addicted to Class A drugs frequently steal or rob to fund their habit thereby increasing crime. Drugs destroy families and society."

Gibbs was described by Judge Ticehurst as being motivated purely by greed. He added that in spite of working for a responsible company and making good money Gibbs sought to profit at the expense of others.

The court heard that Gibbs was in charge of the Swindon end of a drugs network which was shattered when police swooped on the car park of the Spotted Cow pub, Coate Water, in February last year.

Detectives seized cannabis resin with a street value of £164,000. They recovered a substantial amount of cash in later raids.

Also sentenced was Gibbs' "lieutenant" William Livingstone, 36, of Lyndhurst Crescent in Park North. He was jailed for six years for his involvement.

Married father Mark Kirwan, 42, of Farrfield, Stratton, admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis. He denied conspiracy to supply cocaine, but was convicted by the jury. He was described as Gibbs' "sergeant" and was jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Four other gang members, Richard Brinsdon, 34, of Penhill Drive who was described as a "fetcher and carrier:", Craig Wanless, 27, of Braydon Court in Penhill and Colin Roy Butler, 58, and his wife Winifred, 54, of Bermondsey, south London, were found not guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine, but all pleaded guilty to supplying cannabis.

They received sentences varying from four to five years a combined total of 17-and-a-half years imprisonment.

During the lengthy trial, which concluded earlier this month, Bristol Crown Court heard that in 2001 police suspected that Gibbs and his close associate, Livingstone, were heading a local organisation distributing drugs in and around Swindon.

They launched Operation Daisy and as it progressed it became clear drugs were coming into the town from London. Using observation and electronic surveillance, detectives from the major crime unit built up a jigsaw of what was happening and on February 12 last year they realised there was likely to be an exchange of drugs and money in the car park of the Spotted Cow.

When they swooped they discovered nearly 60 kilos of cannabis in the boot of Kirwan's car and later traces of cocaine in Gibbs' Mercedes.

With a wholesale price of £950 a kilo the cannabis, had it been divided, would have been sold on the street for three or four times its original worth.

Graham Stratton, 32, of Ebbw Vale, South Wales, was cleared of conspiring to supply both cannabis and cocaine and Colin John Butler, 35, of Bermondsey, of conspiracy to supply cannabis. Judge Ticehurst heard nearly two hours of mitigation at yesterday's sentencing.

As he passed sentence on each of the seven individually, relatives and friends shouted obscenities from the public gallery and swore at him, but unfazed, he continued with his sentencing.

gsheldrick@newswilts.co.uk