A wheelchair bound pensioner who was involved in supplying cocaine and cannabis to dealers has been jailed for seven years and eight months.

Charlie Goble ran the high value operation from his Cirencester home buying large quantities of drugs before selling them on to dealers.

The 65-year-old enlisted the help of neighbour Brian Brunton, 50, to act as his lieutenant ferrying about the valuable cargoes.

University student Joshua Townsend, 21, was also involved in storing hard drugs and cash for dealers and was caught up in the same operation launched by Wiltshire police.

The three men were in the dock alongside Mark Sullivan, a 39-year-old man from Essex, who had supplied four and a half kilograms of cannabis to Goble.

James Kellam, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the police had used covert surveillance to smash the drugs ring.

He said recordings were made of conversations between Goble and his accomplices as they organised the collection of the drugs.

Mr Kellam said Goble was seen meeting with Sullivan in the car park of the Spotted Cow at Coate, Swindon, where he handed over a carrier bag of cash.

A few days later they met in the same car park and Sullivan gave him a heavy package which was later found to contain 4.5kg of cannabis worth £7,500.

The court heard the drugs were recovered in an outhouse of a friend which was being used as a store along with some cocaine.

He said Goble was also followed to Uxbridge and also to Birmingham after which police pulled stopped him and Brunton, who had 250 grams of cocaine worth about £12,000 in his car.

When he was pulled over he told police: ‘You’ve got the one in front haven’t you, he’s the main man,’ referring to Goble.

Mr Kellam said there were links with Townsend and when his home was raided he had £12,000 worth of cocaine, a 9oz bar of cannabis resin and £500 cash in a safe in his bedroom.

Goble and Brunton, both of Park Way, Siddington, Cirencester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.

Townsend, of Caxton Walk, Cheltenham, admitted possessing cannabis and cocaine with intent to supply and having criminal property.

Sullivan, of Hockley Essex, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Andrew Hobson, for Goble, said his client was anti-drugs and had lost a son to heroin addiction in the past.

Another son, Dean, had been jailed for drug dealing and as a result people were trying to get back the £30,000 he owed them and threatened his dad.

Mr Hobson said at one point his client had a gun put to his head and he started dealing cocaine and cannabis to get money to pay the debts adding he made nothing for himself.

Rob Ross, for Brunton, said he had just helped out as a driver on five occasions being paid between £30 and £120.

Passing sentence Judge Douglas Field said: "Anyone dealing with class A drugs has to expect severe punishment; the courts have always made that clear."

He told Goble: "You are in the most serious position. You were responsible for this operation and I am quite satisfied that considerable quantities of drugs were involved and you were pulling the strings directing the operation.

Jailing Brunton for five years he said: "You were a lieutenant in this operation, you played an essential role although you were the delivery man but you had a more serious role than has been advanced on your behalf."