A PRUDHOE man has been jailed for his involvement in an organised crime group which attempted to flood the North-East with drugs.

James Isaac Madine (43), of Milton Grove, was sentenced to eight years behind bars after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

At Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, Madine was one of 11 members of the group jailed for more than 45 years.

The court heard that police officers had spent more than six months investigating the drugs ring, supplying both class A and B drugs, which operated out of a number of addresses in Blaydon, Winlaton, Burradon and North Shields.

During raids in 2016, more than a kilogram of cocaine was seized. A professional cannabis farm was also located in Burradon.

The gang members were convicted of their crimes in July and sentenced this week.

Northumbria Police Det. Insp. Don Gibson said: “This organised crime gang have wreaked havoc across the North-East, targetting the most vulnerable in our communities. We are delighted they have now been brought to justice.

“Sophisticated gangs like this often believe they are above the law and think they will never get caught. Their operation was vast and their conviction was the result of a lot of hard work from my team, who carried out months of investigation.

“There is no doubt that the operation they ran posed a big threat to the fabric of our society.”

Gang ringleaders Tony David Ross (34), of Valley Crescent, Blaydon, his father Anthony Thompson Ross (55), of Hanover Drive, Winlaton, and Brian Stewart Moulding (38), of June Avenue, Winlaton Mill, received prison sentences.

Ross jnr was sentenced to 10 years and nine months after admitting conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, Ross snr was jailed for five years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and Moulding was sentenced to eight years after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply class A and B drugs.

The following sentences were also made:

• Scott David McKenzie (29), of Briar Close, Winlaton, was sentenced to three years imprisonment after admitting conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

• Liam Terual (25), of Union Quay, North Shields, sentenced to three years imprisonment after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

• Steven Atkin (33), of Briar Close, Winlaton, handed 18-month suspended sentence with 150 hours unpaid work after admitting conspiracy to supply class B drugs.

• Jason Snowball (22), of Tynebank, Winlaton, sentenced to two-year suspended sentence with 200 hours unpaid work, curfew and tag after admitting conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

• David Bradley (34), of Greenvale Avenue, Newcastle, sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment after admitting being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

• Anthony Jessop (28), of Ullswater Way, Newcastle, sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment after admitting possession with the intent to supply class A drugs.

• Robert Paul Stewart (37), of Hesketh Way, Liverpool, sentenced to three years imprisonment after being found guilty at court of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

A 12th man, Tony Wayne Trott (30), of South Terrace, Sunderland, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs and will sentenced at a later date, still to be confirmed.