A COURT has heard about the roles of four Barrow men in a massive plot to ship illegal drugs into Cumbria - including one who jumped to his death on the day he was due in court.

"Industrial" quantities of cocaine, cannabis and methcathinone (MCAT), with an estimated street value of almost £1 million, were seized by police last year as they smashed a conspiracy which involved 18 people.

This illegal operation was masterminded by a serving prisoner Patrick White, who managed the criminal enterprise from custody by using smuggled mobile phones.

White directed a network of trusted lieutenants, high level dealers and couriers in a bid to ship drugs into south, north and west Cumbria from elsewhere in the region.

Among them were Barrow men Robert Rawlinson, aged 28, Kieron Fleming, 23, Jordan Graham, 29, and Stewart Griffiths, 31.

They admitted having roles in the plot, and are due to receive their punishment at Carlisle Crown Court tomorrow.

Opening the case at the start of a two-day sentencing hearing today, prosecutor Brendan Burke referred to the Barrow criminals.

Mr Burke said Griffiths and another man, Steven Archer, of Walney, were apprehended by police who stopped a car on the M6 at Burton on 4th June last year. Griffiths, of Chester Place, was acting as courier for a man higher up the chain of command.

Griffiths had paid Archer to drive and accompany him.

"There was over £189,000 worth of cocaine on board," said Mr Burke.

"That was split into bags labelled with names of those who were the intended recipients."

They included, the court heard, Fleming, of Low White Close, and Rawlinson, of Earl Street. Both were said to be part of a "Barrow cocaine dealership network" and were "more senior than street level" dealers.

Meanwhile, Graham, of Church Street, was described as a "cannabis" peddler, having previously been cleared by a jury of involvement in the cocaine plot.

Finally there was Archer who, the prosecutor stated, "jumped to his death" from a Barrow rooftop in August on the day he was due to appear before a judge at the crown court.

"He had marked his forearms 'do not resuscitate'," Mr Burke added.

The sentencing hearing continues.