FIVE members of a Burnley drugs gang have been locked up for their parts in a plot to supply cannabis for commercial profit.

The town’s crown court was told how Bradley Turner, 18, Luke Barrit, 23, Daniel Turner, 26, Ben Roberts, 24, and Lee Fleming, 23, were all involved in enterprise which came to light after more than 250g of cannabis, worth nearly £3,000 on the streets, was found when police stopped a car in Colne, in October 2010.

Officers searched properties and went on to find shoe boxes with names and figures – ‘tick lists’ – in the lids, bags, cash, digital scales and more drugs. Skunk cannabis worth more than £1,800 was discovered when police raided Bradley Turner's home, in January last year, but he claimed it was for his own use.

Bradley Turner, who was then found with a £850 stash of cannabis in June, after he had been arrested and bailed, was locked up for four years three months.

Daniel Turner (no relation), who attacked a man and smashed his jaw in two places in an unprovoked assault while on bail, was given four years two months.

Barrit, who had lost his job and saw supplying cannabis as a business, received two years eight months.

Fleming, the driver in the agreement, received three years two months, and Roberts – said to have set up the collection of the quarter kilo of cannabis – was given 16 months. A proceeds of crime hearing will be held later.

Bradley Turner, of Stoneyhurst Avenue, Daniel Turner, of Russell Court, Barrit, of Redvers Street, Fleming, of The Spinney, and Roberts, of Foxcroft, all Burnley, all admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis between December 2009 and January 2011.

Bradley Turner also pleaded guilty to possessing the drug with intent to supply and Daniel Turner admitted grievous bodily harm.

Peter Horgan, prosecuting, said each defendant played their part in what was a ‘significant effort to supply quantities of cannabis for commercial profit.’ He said when police stopped the car in Colne, Fleming was at the wheel, Roberts was in the front and Daniel Turner in the back.

A carrier bag containing blue freezer bags was recovered from a footwell and had 268grams of cannabis, worth £2,680, inside.

Kevin Preston, for Bradley Turner, said he had been introduced to cannabis at a very early age by his father.

Tim Brennand, for Fleming, an aircraft part repairer, said he had been of impeccable character and was an ‘active fundraiser’ for Pendle Hospice. The defendant got addicted to cannabis with friends and had become paranoid and self absorbed because of it.

The barrister continued: “If anyone wants to think that cannabis is okay, that cannabis is something that can be managed, that cannabis is a soft drug, this is a classic case that makes it plain it is anything but.”