A gang has been sentenced to a combined 14 years in prison for conspiring to steal £250,000 worth of confiscated tobacco from the government.

The four men stole the contraband, owned by UK Border Force, from East Kent Waste Recovery Facility at Discovery Park in Sandwich, owned by Augean.

A jury found Grzegorz Sikora, Adrian Love, Neil Bradley and Adrian Baker guilty at Canterbury Crown Court last month.

Watch the gang on CCTV

A fifth man, Mark Short, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Judge Catherine Brown said: "The court will never have a complete or entirely accurate picture of the exact value of the tobacco products stolen by you.

"The prosecution's evidence, which I accept, suggests a total retail value of £458,000 with a total loss to the revenue of £330,000 based merely on six events in February and March 2017.

"I bear in mind this conspiracy took place over a period from August 2016 until March 2017 and "I am sure that much of the communication was likely to have been face to face or telephone discussions.

"In my judgement, taking an overall figure of £500,000 is a very conservative assessment of the value of the goods stolen.

"The true value is probably higher."

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly previously told the jury: “Augean, which operates a high temperature incinerator, has a contract with UKBF to destroy hazardous waste, including tobacco, drugs, alcohol – materials which have a high potential black market value.”

“It is the Crown’s case the tobacco to the value of £235,000 was stolen.”

Mr Connolly also said the tobacco would have had shop value of £458,000.

Mr Connolly said on February 18, 2017, secret CCTV cameras were installed and when later viewed, revealed Short taking bags through locked gates and placing them into the back of his car.

He said later that month site manager Andy Scorer was inspecting a “seldom used” storage area on site situated behind the main incinerator.

Mr Connolly said the manager later checked two freight containers – one was found to have a pallet of tobacco.

The court heard messages between the men included references to Amber, Richmond, Regal, Cutters, Mayfair, Golden Virginia and Turners – all makes of tobacco.

Texts read in court said: “Where have you hid all the baccy (sic)?"

It went on: “Anything about tonight?”

Sikora, 37, of Northdown Road, Cliftonville, was sentenced to three years and four months, while Love, 47, of Grenville Way, Broadstairs, was jailed for four years.

Bradley, 47, of St Augustines Road, Ramsgate, was given three years and four months and Adrian Baker, 49, of Bush Avenue, Ramsgate was given an eight month suspended sentence for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Mark Short, who previously pleaded guilty was given three years and four months.

The convicts could he seen blowing kisses to friends and while while being led from the dock.

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