Telford drug dealers who lived the high life to pay back just £1 each

Career criminal Robert Bushell, 40, was part of a drugs conspiracy that involved his wife Melanie, other family members and several other men including 41-year-old Lee Moseley.

Bushell and Moseley are both in jail for their crimes but were hauled back before the courts to pay back profits from their ill-gotten gains. Judge Mary Stacey heard the result of financial investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Birmingham Crown Court.

It was ruled that both Bushell, of Riven Road, Hadley, and Moseley, of Buildwas Road, Wellington, had benefited by £86,000 from the criminal activity. But as police inquiries revealed that neither had any realisable assets both were made subject of confiscation orders of a nominal £1.

In April last year Bushell was jailed for a eight years and Moseley was sentenced to four years for their role in the conspiracy.

Bushell appeared in the dock for the hearing yesterday, but the court was told that Moseley had failed to respond to the financial inquiry and had also refused to attend court.

Miss Michelle Healy, prosecuting, said that in the case of Bushell's wife, Melanie, the court was no longer proceeding with a confiscation order against her.

Melanie Bushell, 39, also of Riven Road, Hadley, was given an eight-month sentence in April last year. The proceeds of crime case against John Gough was also dropped as it was "not in the public interest".

But Judge Stacey ordered that Gough must forfeit £400 which was found in his possession when he was arrested in 2014.

At a hearing in September last year four other members of the drugs conspiracy were made the subject of confiscation orders. The three men and a woman, all from Telford, were said to have benefited by more than £400,000 from their role in the supply of Class A drugs.

Sally Bushell, 32, who is Robert Bushell's sister, was said to have gained by £156,245 but she was also 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 Stuart Waterhouse, 35, was said to have a benefit of £80,000 from his drug dealing and was ordered to forfeit three mobile phones and pay back just £465. Waterhouse, formerly of Redlands Road, Hadley, and now of Station Hill, Oakengates, was jailed for six years.

Neil Bushell, Sally's brother, had a benefit of £158,000 but was ordered to pay just £960. Bushell, of Westbourne Woodside, formerly Far Vallens, Hadley, was given six years and eight months for his part in the conspiracy.

Matthew Thompson, whose benefit was said to be about £12,000, had little or no assets and he was ordered to pay £169 and forfeit two mobile phones. Thompson, of Market Street, Wellington, received a sentence of four years and nine months for the drugs conspiracy.

All the defendants were arrested during an extensive covert investigation by West Mercia Police codenamed Operation Sift.