A BARROW man is due to be sentenced at a crown court tomorrow for his part in a gang's illegal drugs plot.

Levi Howard, of Barrow, is among eight defendants to appear at Carlisle Crown Court who have admitted playing various roles in a criminal enterprise through which significant amounts of cocaine, heroin and cannabis were despatched into Cumbria.

The crown court has been told how group members were rounded up by police after the arrest of two couriers travelling on the M6.

A damning case was amassed against each of the eight individuals who later pleaded guilty to their respective roles in illegal activity between January and August last year.

Officers' evidence included illegal substance seizures, covertly-observed Carlisle drug drops and analysis of key players' mobile phones.

This resulted in Johnathan O'Neil, 28, of Creighton Avenue, and Darren Snowden, 45, of Brookside, Raffles, both Carlisle, admitting a charge of conspiring to supply class A cocaine to another.

A third Carlisle man, 25-year-old Andrew John Berry, of Bower Street, has pleaded guilty to conspiring supply class B cannabis. Berry's wife, Kathleen, of Brampton Old Road, Carlisle, has admitted being concerned in the supply of that class B drug last June.

Barrow man, Howard, 30, of High Cliff admits conspiring to supply cannabis, as does 54-year-old drugs courier Sam Stone, of Darwen, Lancashire. He has also pleaded guilty to similar cocaine and heroin conspiracy supply crimes.

Lee Jamieson, of Churchfield Road, Liverpool, admits the cocaine conspiracy charge and is said to have directed its "wholesale" supply; while John Patefield, of Rivacre Road, Ellesmere Port, admits being involved as a cocaine courier.

A sentencing hearing for the eight defendants started at the crown court today.

Prosecutor Francis McEntee said: "The basis of the case concerns the supply of class A and class B drugs being brought into Cumbria. It is apparent there were two different routes of supplying them."

Stone was said to have driven drugs into the county on various dates. On June 30 police seized quantities of heroin and cannabis - each valued at £27,000 - when they stopped his northbound vehicle on the M6 in South Cumbria. Around £3,000 worth cocaine was also found.

On July 31 Patefield's vehicle was pulled over near Penrith as he headed towards Carlisle. He was found to be transporting high purity cocaine valued at around £77,000.

The respective arrests of both couriers helped police to build up a "pyramid of contact" between the criminals.

Remaining in Merseyside, Jamieson arranged for cocaine to be brought into Cumbria. A link was established between he and O'Neil, who was "responsible for the organisation of the purchase of cocaine". O'Neil's stepfather, Snowden, admitted involvement on two occasions.

Connection between Andrew Berry and courier Stone was also established for "the delivery into Cumbria of cannabis".

In the Barrow area, Howard is said to have accepted acting as a cannabis supply "middle man" through repeated phone contact with Patefield and Jamieson.

On June 23 Kathleen Berry had collected cannabis from Stone for her husband's own use.

The hearing was due to conclude tomorrow when Judge Tony Lancaster will hand down sentences.