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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Drugs general' man found guilty | 'Drugs general' man found guilty |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A Nottinghamshire businessman described as a "drugs general" has been found guilty of running a major drugs network. | A Nottinghamshire businessman described as a "drugs general" has been found guilty of running a major drugs network. |
| Gary Hardy, 46, from The Copse, Mansfield, was found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court. | Gary Hardy, 46, from The Copse, Mansfield, was found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court. |
| His brother Paul Hardy, 47, and his mother June Muers, 67, have also been convicted of drugs offences. | His brother Paul Hardy, 47, and his mother June Muers, 67, have also been convicted of drugs offences. |
| Paul Hardy's partner Zoe Chapman, 29, was also found guilty of drugs offences. | Paul Hardy's partner Zoe Chapman, 29, was also found guilty of drugs offences. |
| Another defendant Carl Busby, 46, was found not guilty of charges of money laundering. | Another defendant Carl Busby, 46, was found not guilty of charges of money laundering. |
| The jury had heard Gary Hardy lived a lavish lifestyle funded by dealing drugs and laundering the illegal profits. | |
| He was the head of a family business that supplied heroin and amphetamines to dealers in two of Nottinghamshire's former mining towns, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Kirkby-in-Ashfield. | |
| 'Politics of envy' | 'Politics of envy' |
| During the trial the court heard Gary Hardy ran several unsuccessful businesses yet continued to live a lavish lifestyle, putting his brother Paul, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, along with other associates, on the books to pay them for illegal drug activities. | During the trial the court heard Gary Hardy ran several unsuccessful businesses yet continued to live a lavish lifestyle, putting his brother Paul, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, along with other associates, on the books to pay them for illegal drug activities. |
| The jury heard that heroin - hidden in lorry tyres - was smuggled into the country and for every kilo sold on the streets Gary Hardy made £8,000. | The jury heard that heroin - hidden in lorry tyres - was smuggled into the country and for every kilo sold on the streets Gary Hardy made £8,000. |
| Defending Gary Hardy, Trevor Burke said he was a "flamboyant, successful" property businessman, who was a victim of the "politics of envy", and that his client was in the dock because people were jealous of his success. | Defending Gary Hardy, Trevor Burke said he was a "flamboyant, successful" property businessman, who was a victim of the "politics of envy", and that his client was in the dock because people were jealous of his success. |
| Prosecutor Richard Latham QC told the court Gary Hardy was a drugs "general" behind the operation who owned several Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris and paid private school fees in cash. | Prosecutor Richard Latham QC told the court Gary Hardy was a drugs "general" behind the operation who owned several Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris and paid private school fees in cash. |
| Family connection | |
| Gary Hardy was caught after a drugs handover in a car park was traced to his mobile phone - he had been under surveillance. | |
| The court heard he used his crack addict brother Paul to deal vast quantities of drugs. Paul Hardy was found guilty of supplying drugs. | |
| Their mother June Muers, 67, helped Paul deal drugs out of her home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. She was convicted of supplying amphetamine and cannabis. | |
| And Paul's ex-partner Zoe Chapman, 29, would courier drugs to clients in her children's pushchair. She was found guilty of supplying amphetamine. | |
| All four will be sentenced next month. |