THE DRIVER for a gang who tried to flood Oxfordshire with class A drugs has been jailed.

Hamza Hussain Said was described as a 'kept man' by the group dubbed the Somalian J Line, who were sentenced to almost 26 years in July.

Said, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply class A drugs between January and December 2016.

Oliver Doherty, prosecuting, said the 24-year-old had been identified by undercover officers on 10 occasions driving a drug dealer to a sale, and on October 5, 2016, had pointed out wraps containing cocaine to an officer.

He added: "I would propose this constituted a significant role, with the scale of the operation known to him through living at the same house as the drug dealers."

The group, who hid their stash near St Gregory the Great Catholic School in Cowley, travelled to the area from across the South East to deal two kilos of the 'high purity' cocaine and heroin in Oxford and Abingdon.

They were brought down by Thames Valley Police following a three month operation of surveillance and undercover work.

Said's barrister William Chippenfield said his client, originally from London, had been homeless when he met the group and they had provided him with a place to live, £45 a day to drive them and free cannabis and alcohol.

He added that Said, who did security for the London 2012 Olympics games, had been vulnerable following the death of his parents.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle said he was satisfied that Said had been aware of the operation, adding: "This is aggravated by the length of time you were involved with driving for them."

Said was jailed for three years and four months.