West Essex: Seven Jailed Over Drugs and Guns

A number of men from west Essex and east London have been jailed after Essex police smashed a drug ring.

Police from Essex and Kent carried out various raids in east London between February and May this year.

They recovered an assault weapon and 5kg of cocaine, which is worth about £250,000.

Seven men were arrested, all of them were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday 30th November (see below for further details).

Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Stuart Smith, said: "We have seen a number of high-end drug dealers taken out of circulation and put behind bars for a long time.

"This was a dangerous group when their drugs and weapons are taken into consideration.

"We will continue to target those criminals operating at the high end of the chain and who affect the lives of the law-abiding residents of Essex. 

"Our priority is to make Essex a safer place to live in and today we have rid society of drug-dealers who wreck people’s lives.”

The seven men jailed were:

- Peter Jacovou, a 55-year-old car valeter from Capstan Close in Romford, pleaded guilty to one count of allowing his house to be used for drug-dealing and one count of being in possession of a Class B drug.  He was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment.

- Peter Jacovou (jnr), a 31-year-old construction worker from Rollason Way in Brentwood, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to supply Class A drugs and one count of count of being in possession of a prohibited weapon (AK47).  He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.

- Richard Wiltshire, a 34-year-old unemployed man from Alders Avenue in Woodfood Green, pleaded guilty to one count of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.  He was the only defendant not to be remanded in court custody and instead was released on court bail.  He was sentenced to two years and four months’ imprisonment.

- Richard Hassell, a 30-year-old builder from Kidman Close in Romford, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class A drugs.  He was sentenced to five years and four months’ imprisonment. 

- Mark Roberts, a 34-year-old unemployed man of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two counts of being in possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.  He was jailed for five years and four months.

- Dean Hoskyn, a 30-year-old unemployed man from Waterside Close in Barking, pleaded guilty to one count of being in possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.  He was jailed for two-a-half-years.

- Kevin Gibbs; a 30-year-old carpenter from Academy Fields Close in Romford, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to supply a Class A drug.  He was jailed for three-and-a-half years.