From left, Joe King, Ben Brazil and Sam Lee

by Keith Hunt

Three men caught dealing hard drugs to undercover police officers have each been jailed for three years.

Joe King, Sam Lee and Ben Brazil were arrested during a crackdown after an increase in burglaries in Swale was linked to drug abuse.

Maidstone Crown Court heard King, 22, was motivated by wanting to have an income and partially sighted Brazil, 47, needed cash to repay loan sharks he used to pay for his father’s funeral.

Lee, 28, only wanted to help Brazil, to whom he was related by marriage, a judge was told.

King, Brazil, both of Glenbrook Grove, Sittingbourne, and Lee, of Westwood Road, Stockbury, all admitted supplying drugs.

Brazil admitted 11 offences, Lee five offences and King one offence.

Jo Cope, prosecuting, said an undercover officer known as Connie went to Sheerness in July last year, met a woman called Louise and they then travelled to Brazil’s Sittingbourne home.

Louise shouted over the fence and Brazil came out. She told him she wanted “two and two” - two of heroin and two of cocaine.

"you must understand that class a drugs bring misery to people’s lives." - judge st john-stevens

Miss Cope said the officer handed over £30 and Brazil went into the garden and returned with the drugs. Louise also handed him £30.

Brazil supplied the officer with more drugs on several other occasions and was assisted on some of them by Lee.

The prosecutor said the officer went to Unity Street, Sheerness, in August and met Louise and others and said she wanted to “score”.

They went to Middletune Avenue, Sittingbourne, and met a man known as Colorado. He and the officer went to a house and met King.

The officer asked for “three” and King handed over cocaine and was paid £20.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens told the three: “Each of you must understand that Class A drugs bring misery to people’s lives, not only to those who take them but those around them.

“It can even shorten people’s lives. Those who deal and supply Class A drugs should expect a term of imprisonment.

"Each of you dealt at the lowest street level.”

The judge told King he thought it was a “quick fix” to make money. Lee, he said, chose to help out Brazil.