THE girlfriend of drug-dealing former AFC Darwen boss Kenny Langford has appeared in court accused of helping him to launder around £100,000.

Langford, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after running a £300,000 family cannabis business across Lancashire and Manchester.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell told a jury at Preston Crown Court that his girlfriend at the time, Sarah Hindle, received large amounts of cash to pay into her bank accounts and knew it came from Langford’s “criminal enterprise”.

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A jury was told Langford had run a successful dry lining business before meeting Hindle in 2011, and in 2009 even posted a profit of nearly £115,000. But by 2011 that legitimate business had “fallen off a cliff” and profits dropped to just £256.

The court heard during three years before Langford was arrested for conspiracy to supply cannabis in 2014, he made numerous large cash payments into Hindle’s account. She is then alleged to have paid the money back to Langford via cheques, therefore laundering it.

During the start of their relationship Hindle, of Sough Road in Darwen, first worked for R and R Financial Services, and then as club secretary at AFC Darwen.

The 32-year-old, who denies a single charge of money laundering between February 2011 and October 2014, said the money Langford gave her was to pay his bills and that “he had not paid a bill in 30 years”.

But Mr Brookwell said: “From the examination of her bank accounts during the three-year period, the defendant received into her account large amounts of regular cash payments. In addition to this the prosecution alleges that from looking at the bank records, the defendant appears to have converted the cash for the benefit of Mr Langford.

“It is alleged that she paid for his car insurance, household bills, a deposit for a vehicle. She also, when given cash, would pay him a cheque back. In other words cash is paid into her account and in various ways he benefitted.”

Following Langford’s arrest police searched nine properties and found eight cannabis factories across East Lancashire. They also discovered remnants of cannabis at Hindle’s property in Sough Road.

After seizing Langford’s mobile phone they found text exchanges with Hindle which the prosecution said showed she knew about his cannabis producing and selling empire.

Giving evidence on the stand Detective Sergeant Andrew Osbaldeston told the jury about texts between the pair when mobile phone tracing showed Langford was at one of his cannabis factories in Clitheroe Road, Whalley. DS Osbaldeston said there was a sophisticated drugs set-up in the garage of the house.

The court heard Langford texted Hindle saying he had missed her calls because he couldn’t hear his phone because of the loud machinery.

In another he wrote: “I’m missing you too honey. My God it’s like 97 degrees in here.”

Hindle replied: “Bloody hell that’s hot.”

In another Hindle warned Langford about a police presence in the area. She wrote: “Be careful. Germans everywhere.”

DS Osbaldeston also read out numerous other texts between the pair where Hindle was asking Langford for money to go shopping or pay bills. In another exchange Hindle wrote: “The car people want proof of income.” Langford replied: “Bloody hell. Can’t give it can I.”

After being arrested in June 2015 Hindle said Langford had a successful business, had lads working for him although she didn’t know who would pay wages to them, and had large amount of savings.

She described him as a “cash man” and that he would “go upstairs and get money”. She also told police that Langford had £174,000 in cash in his house, which she had seen in his HSBC bank account.

But the jury was told when police searched Langford’s house they did not find a large amount of money.

The trial continues.