A BARROW man accused of being a driver in a drugs gang used his mum’s Motorbility vehicle for his part in the plot, a court heard.

Robert Russell, 40, is accused of driving the gang leader Michael Emeofa back to London 'under the cover of darkness' in the black Ford Ecosport on August 19 last year.

Although the car was registered to Russell’s mother Valerie Cromwell, Russell was the only person insured to drive the car, Preston Crown Court heard.

Russell and his partner Natasha Wharton, 29, were stopped by Met Police officers on the Old Kent Road, when Russell made a wrong turn.

Russell told officers he was not familiar with the area and had just dropped a friend off in New Cross and gave his address as Worcester Street, Barrow.

Mobile phone and traffic cameras tracked the vehicle’s journey back to Barrow-in-Furness.

The court heard shortly after the vehicle returned to Barrow, Russell received three calls from the Able line - a phone line used to facilitate the supply of heroin and crack from a distance.

On September 3 the Ford Ecosport was again seen leaving Barrow and was tracked travelling to Coventry in the early hours.

Mobile phone data linked Wharton’s phone to a mast near where co-accused Shanice Knight and Princewell Enaruba had rented a house.

The prosecution say their address was ‘a hub of drug dealing activity’, where large quantities of heroin and crack were prepared for onward sale in Barrow.

Opening the trial, Richard Archer, prosecuting, said: “The prosecution’s case is that Russell drove Michael Emeofa to London on 19th August 2018, accompanied by Natasha Wharton.

“In early September, he drove with Wharton to Coventry.

“He was receiving calls from the Able line en route and he met with Emeofa and another male Harold Ingleton, who he took back to Barrow.

“The purpose of that trip was to install Ingleton in the town as a runner.

“The prosecution say that Russell and Wharton took Ingleton back to Coventry on September 5 to restock.”

Wharton has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and Ingleton has admitted possession with intent to supply heroin and crack.

Russell denies conspiracy to supply Class A drugs claiming he simply gave Emeofa a lift to London on August 19 and was not in the car on the September trips.

Opening the trial, Richard Archer, prosecuting, said: “Mr Russell was closely involved with admitted conspirators in this case, indeed he lived with one, and was a recipient of the blanket text messages.

“He would know drug dealing activity when he saw it. In respect of his assertion that he was not the driver on subsequent occasions, the prosecution will invite you to look at the fact that he was the only person insured to drive the car.”

The trial continues.

He is on trial at Preston Crown Court along with Princewell Enaruba, 24, of Coventry; Callum Gentle, 18, of Essex; Deborah Abolaji, 20, of Hatfield; Richard Cleary, 52, of Coventry and Shanice Knight, 24, of Coventry.