THE 'selfish' and 'callous' ringleader of a 20kg cocaine conspiracy who roped his own family in to do his dirty work has been jailed for 14 years.

Gareth Pegler of Saxon Way, Wychbold organised both cocaine and cannabis conspiracies and received a longer jail term than any of his lieutenants and runners when sentenced at Worcester Crown Court today (Thursday).

Cocaine was valued at the time of the conspiracy at between £35,000 and £40,000 per kilo.

Pegler, a former tattoo parlour boss, was responsible for overseeing the supply of cocaine from the West Midlands into Ilfracombe in Devon and was also in charge of a cannabis grown in Orchard Way, Leigh, near Worcester and another 'hidden away' behind a locked door in an upstairs room above Forty Fathoms Aquatics in Kidderminster.

During the various conspiracies, the 39-year-old involved his older brother, 41-year-old Darren Pegler of Coronation Way, Kidderminster, in the cannabis grow at Leigh, his brother-in-law Karl Browning in transporting cocaine into Devon.

He also set up Browning as a cannabis gardener at the rented house in Leigh because he was homeless at the time.

Gareth Pegler also involved his own partner - the mother of his children - 33-year-old Sinead Lavelle in the cocaine conspiracy, who has yet to be sentenced for her role in that cocaine conspiracy.

Timothy Valentine, 43, of Beacon Hill, Bridgnorth, who was convicted of conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis between January 1, 2018 and June 1 last year has yet to be sentenced.

At the same trial, Darren Pegler was convicted of conspiracy to produce cannabis between August 1, 2018 and November 1, 2020.

Gareth Pegler led the conspiracy to supply cocaine between November 1, 2018 and June 1, 2020 with his several people working under him - his 'right hand man' Mighele Massey, 38, of Stourbridge Road, Dudley, Karl Browning, 43, of Hurcott Road, Kidderminster and 49-year-old Louisa Cooper of Baxter Avenue, Kidderminster.

During the course of the conspiracy, Gareth Pegler's phone was tracked moving to Devon 26 times, 'most of the time at night' and most of the visits 'very brief'.

Pegler on one occasion went to an alleged co-conspirator's house in Rubery to purchase and pick up 3kg of cocaine and was observed by police leaving the house with 'a package about the size of a shoebox'.

The total amount of cocaine involved was said by prosecutor Tim Harrington to be around 20kg during the course of the conspiracy.

Gareth Pegler had always admitted the conspiracies as did Massey and Cooper. But others denied it only to be convicted at a trial last November.

Gareth Pegler also admitted conspiracy to supply and produce cannabis between January 1, 2018 and June 1, 2020; a further cannabis conspiracy to produce cannabis with Browning, his brother Darren and also handling a stolen car, driven on false plates, between November 4 and December 1, 2019.

Judge Martin Jackson said: "In this case you, Gareth Pegler, were at the head of this conspiracy. You became involved in the large scale supply of cocaine both to the West Midlands and down into Devon."

Judge Jackson said Pegler had 'also involved other people, members of your own family' who were sent either to deliver drugs or collect cash on his behalf.

"That, it seems to me, is a significant aggravating feature. Anyone who involves members of their own household - in particular the mother of their own children - really displays an entirely selfish and callous attitude towards their offending" said the judge.

He added: "This is serious, commercial, wholesale dealing of class A drugs."

Massey was jailed for seven years and nine months, Browning for four years. Darren Pegler received a 12 month prison sentence for his involvement in the cannabis grow at Leigh.

Cooper, a recovering drug addict, who admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine was described as vulnerable to pressure from others because of her addiction was handed a deferred sentence.