A BRADFORD drug dealer turned author has been jailed again after a police surveillance operation smashed a major Yorkshire cocaine trafficking ring.

Jaguar-driving Richard “Bingy” Brown, 54, and 52-year-old Sherman Mallinson, from Doncaster, were described by the prosecution as “the controlling minds” of the conspiracy which saw large quantities of high purity cocaine being transported from West Yorkshire to South Yorkshire.

The pair, who had served long prison sentences in the past for similar offending, were jailed alongside two other men and a woman who were all arrested as part of Operation Fiveward.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Brown, who previously ran a cafe in Manningham, Bradford, had written a novel based on his own life entitled “Living the Dream” after completing a creative writing course.

His solicitor advocate Mark Foley said Brown had tried to make a fresh start after being released from prison in 2007, but he was being pursued by others to repay them for the drugs he lost in 2001.

The court that Brown, who had been running clubs and organising music events, had tried to repay some money, but he eventually realised that they wanted his drug dealing “services”.

Mr Foley said his client now expressed regret and remorse for his involvement with offending again.

Between April and August last year police officers carried out a surveillance operation which gathered evidence against key members of the conspiracy and ended with armed officers stopping a car in Doncaster.

Prosecutor Stephen Wood told the court that searches were then carried out at Brown’s home in Farfield Crescent and at another property.

At Brown’s address officers seized a stash of cocaine worth about £30,000 as well as various quantities of cutting agents and more than £8000 in cash.

“Brown was the West Yorkshire connection from whom cocaine was purchased by Mallinson who then arranged for it to be transported to South Yorkshire where it was stored before being cut up and sold,” said Mr Wood.

Yesterday Brown, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, was jailed for 10 years and three months while Mallinson, of Sceptre Grove, was locked up for 13 years after a jury found him guilty of the same charge.

John Lowcock, 44, of Doncaster Road, Tickhill, was jailed for a total of nine years and two months after he admitted being involved in the conspiracies to supply cocaine and amphetamine while Matthew Billing, 25, of Woodlands Road, Doncaster, was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of the conspiracy to supply cocaine offence.

The least involved defendant Melissa Whitehead, 38, of Boundary Avenue, Doncaster, was locked up for three years in relation to the same offence.