Telford drug dealers benefited by more than £400,000, court told

They were part of a family gang of drug dealers led by career criminal Robert Bushell, who openly sold crack cocaine and heroin on the streets.

At Birmingham Crown Court confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act were made against 31-year-old Sally Bushell, Stuart Waterhouse, 34, Neil Bushell, 35, and 42-year-old Matthew Thompson.

All four were among 10 people jailed in April this year for their role in a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in the Telford area.

At court Sally Bushell was said to have gained by £156,245 from her part in the family drug dealing operation.

It was determined she should forfeit an iPhone and a tablet recovered by police but had no other realisable assets and was ordered to pay a nominal £1. Bushell, a mother of five, of Redlands Road, Hadley, was jailed for five years and three months.

Her former partner Waterhouse was said to have a benefit of £80,000 from his drug dealing activities and was ordered to forfeit three mobile phones.

He was said to have limited assets and a confiscation order was made in the sum of £465. He has three months to pay and will serve a month in prison in default. In April Waterhouse, formerly of Redlands Road, Hadley, and now of Station Hill, Oakengates, was jailed for six years.

Neil Bushell, Sally's brother, was confirmed to have gained a benefit of £158,000 for his role in a conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

His realisable assets were said to be limited and a confiscation order was made in the sum of £960 and must be paid in three months or he faces an additional month in prison.

Bushell, of Westbourne, Woodside, formerly of Far Vallens, Hadley, was given six years and eight months for his part in the conspiracy.

Also in court was Matthew Thompson, whose benefit from the drug dealing was said to be around £12,000. He has little or no assets and was ordered to pay £169 and must forfeit two mobile phones. Thompson, of Market Street, Wellington, received a sentence of four years and nine months for the drugs conspiracy.

A Proceeds of Crime application against Sean Thompson, 21, of Riven Road, Hadley, was withdrawn. He was jailed for four years for his role in the supply of drugs. An application for a confiscation order against John Gough, 45, of Mill Bank, Wellington, who was jailed for three years, was adjourned until September 18.

The Proceeds of Crime applications against Robert Bushell, 39, who was jailed for eight years, his wife Melanie, 39, who was jailed for eight months, both of Riven Road, Hadley, and Lee Moseley, 41, of Buildwas Road, Wellington, who was jailed for four years, were adjourned until February 29 next year for contested hearings.

The defendants were among dozens of people arrested during an extensive covert investigation by West Mercia Police codenamed, Operation Sift.