A man seen 'reclining unusually' in a steamed up car with tinted windows led to police cracking a hard drug peddling ring in Gloucester, a court heard.

Two men and a woman involved in the 'county lines' operation in the city were jailed for a total of nine years and ten months between them.

Gloucester Crown Court was told that the trio were brought to justice in January 2019 thanks to observant under cover police officers keeping observation near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Prosecutor Janine Wood said the officers were suspicious when they saw a man reclining in the car.

The two male occupants in the front seat of the car were arrested along with a woman with a baby.

Charlotte Nairn, 24, of Mount Pleasant, Kingsway, Gloucester had £450 worth of Class A drugs hidden in her bra.

The woman's address was searched and more drugs, valued at £6,500 were found in her bedroom along with scales and other drug paraphernalia.

The police found evidence that two county lines drug operations were being run from her address - the 'Jay' line and the 'Cameron' line.

Nairn leaded guilty to possessing heroin and cocaine, both class A drugs, with intent to supply on January 15, 2019.

Andreas Nicoladies, 36 of Tyndale View, Wotton Under Edge also pleaded guilty to possessing of quantity of cocaine with intent to supply on the same date.

Ricardo Ricketts, 29, of Tomlins Orchard, Barking was found guilty by a jury of possessing £400 worth of cocaine with intent to supply on the same occasion. The police also found £750 in his possession which they believed to be the proceeds of drug dealing.

Matthew Harbinson for Nairn, said he found it incredible that a woman born and raised in Gloucester could be behind a county lines drug operation and added: "Nairn had been in a relationship with a man who was a drug dealer.

"Her crime is that she allowed her home for the storage of the drugs. She was desperate, having just had a baby, not to be a single mum and wanted to remain in this relationship.

"She has been in prison since she was arrested and has used her time well gaining qualifications and working with the Nelson Trust."

Peter Binder for Nicoladies said: "He became ill due to his drug addiction and turned from drug user to being a drug dealer to earn money."

Angela Kerner for Jamaican-born Ricketts said: "He started getting into drugs following his brother's suicide, which was made worse when his grandmother died.

"He was only in Gloucester for three weeks before he was caught. He has also been in jail since he was arrested and is now classed as an enhanced prisoner for the good work he has been doing."

Judge Julian Lambert told Nairn that there was limited room for manoeuvre in her case and sentenced her to three years in prison.

In sentencing Ricketts, the judge said to him: "You have previous convictions for drug dealing in controlled drugs. You were deeply involved in this drug operation and you took matters to trial.

"You are going to prison for four years and four months."

In sentencing Nicoladies the judge stated that while he was found with a small quantity of drugs on him, he still played a significant role in the county lines drug operation and jailed him for two years and six months.

The judge also ordered for the forfeiture of the £750 seized from Ricketts and for it to be donated to Gloucestershire Constabulary drug prevention programme. He also ordered for the forfeiture and destruction of all the drugs and relevant paraphernalia from all three defendants.