Mother and sons face drug charges

A mother and two sons from Nottinghamshire have denied several drugs and money laundering charges at Nottingham Crown Court.

Gary Hardy, 45, from The Copse, Mansfield, denied the charges along with his brother Paul Hardy, 47 and his mother June Muers, 67.

They are accused of running a heroin and cocaine trade across parts of the East Midlands and laundering profits.

Carl Busby, 46 and Zoe Chapman, 29, also deny the charges.

'Drugs' general'

Prosecutor Richard Latham QC said Gary Hardy was a drugs "general" behind the operation who owned several Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris and paid private school fees in cash.

Mr Latham described Mr Hardy's running of the drugs' business as done "at arm's length", employing a network of people to carry out his "dirty work".

The jury was told Mr Hardy was a business associate and school friend of a major drug dealer called John Dawes, who is currently serving a 24-year jail sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin and amphetamine and money laundering.

The court also heard Gary Hardy ran several unsuccessful businesses yet continued to live a lavish lifestyle, putting his brother Paul, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, along with other associates, on the books to pay them for illegal drug activities.

Gary Hardy's mother June Muers, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield and his brother's partner, Zoe Chapman, also from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, face charges over supplying drugs.

On the day all five defendants were arrested, 4 January 2007, police seized drugs with a street value of almost £70,000 and more than £16,000 in cash from June Muers' home.

Carl Busby, from Clipstone and described by the prosecution as Gary Hardy's cashier, is facing money laundering charges.

The case continues.