EIGHT key members of an organised drug supply network have been sentenced to a total of 40 years imprisonment for offences of jointly conspiring to supply both crack cocaine and heroin in Exeter.

James Brooks, 32, from Dawlish, was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment; John Bullock, 22, from Dawlish was sentenced to 30 months; John Rowntree, 27, also from Dawlish, was sentenced to five years.

Lloyd Simpson, 44, from Exeter, was sentenced to six years imprisonment; Kevin Newton, 30, from Greater Manchester, was sentenced to nine years; Billy Downing, 22, from Greater Manchester was sentenced to five and a half years; James Prince, 22, from Huddersfield, was sentenced to 30 months and Anthony Mcstein, 28, from Liverpool, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Two other offenders involved in conspiring to supply cannabis to James Brooks whilst detained in HMP Exeter were also sentenced today.

These included his wife Donna Brooks, aged 30, who received six months and Blair Murray, 29, from Tyne and Wear, who received 12 months imprisonment.

A police spokesman said Operation Clearwater was a covert operation run by Central Devon Targeted Policing Team between October 2010 and March 2011.

The operation was borne out of community intelligence detailing drug related anti social behaviour in areas of Exeter.

The intelligence showed a highly organised group of individuals were bringing crack cocaine and heroin to Devon from the Manchester area on a very regular basis, said the spokesman.

He said the group of men had established themselves as a business using and operating under the name of LYNC. There was a specific phone number for point of sale and dedicated “sales” people boasting they could supply class A controlled drugs “All day every day”.

The spokesman went on: “Their utter disregard for the communities among which they operated and the welfare of those they dealt Class A controlled drugs to beggared belief.

“Surveillance carried out evidenced that people from all walks of life had succumbed to their lure and the effects of “feeding frenzies” when LYNC was meeting buyers at pre arranged times and places made those places no go areas for those living or using the areas.

“Police used intelligence to identify those responsible for organised street level dealing and used various tactics to evidence the sale of controlled drugs in Exeter. This was supported by further covert work, warrants being executed and arrests made over this period.

“Ultimately on February 18 2011, events being triggered by a live report from a member of public of “blatant” drug dealing in Cowick Barton Playing Fields, Exeter a dynamic police response led to John Bullock and John Rowntree being arrested at Cowick Barton Playing Fields and a warrant was executed in the Church Road area of Exeter where Lloyd Simpson was found to be preparing crack cocaine for sale behind a barricaded door.

“Further arrests were made and by March 2011 the whole LYNC organisation had been arrested.

“The Central Devon Targeted Policing team led by Detective Inspector Neil Blackhurst worked tirelessly to build the case against LYNC and make further arrests of those people having dealt crack cocaine and heroin to plain clothes police officers over this period.”

The spokesman said that while on remand at Exeter Prison, James Brookes showed his utter disregard for law and order by conspiring with others for cannabis to be supplied into Exeter prison for him to supply as he saw fit.

The police spokesman added: “This offence was once again foiled by the work of Central Devon TPT when, on April 8 they made arrests outside prison of Blair Murray. Murray was found in possession of ten wraps of cannabis stood outside the prison walls waiting to throw them over the wall to a waiting Brooks.

Inquiries into the offence led to Donna Brookes, the heavily pregnant wife of John Brookes to also be arrested for her part in this separate conspiracy by James Brookes to supply cannabis into HMP Exeter.

Following the sentencing the Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Neil Blackhust commented: “This has been a highly successful operation and has culminated in a large number of offenders being brought to justice, some street level dealers and others high in the echelons of organised crime and drug dealing.

“The success of this operation highlights the benefits of members of the local community taking positive action in reporting drug dealing and anti- social behaviour to the police and also sends a clear message to the criminal fraternity that every possible tactic will be used to tackle drug dealing and bring those responsible to justice.”