DRUGS dealers beware! That's the message being sent out to pushers by St Helens police following the conviction of local drugs dealer Michael Allen.

The 33-year-old from Marsden Avenue, Eccleston, was jailed for 10 years in total - eight years for the concern in supply of Ecstasy and two years for attempting to pervert the course of justice to run consecutively. He is also serving two years concurrent for his concern in the supply of amphetamines.

Judge Bryn Holloway, who assessed Allen's drugs benefit at £149,600 also ordered that Allen pay up £34,750 within the next 12 months and if the money isn't produced Allen will serve a further 18 months on top of his sentence.

During the trial at Liverpool Crown Court the jury heard that no traces of drugs had been found but notes written on two pieces of A4 paper led to Allen's arrest.

On one sheet of paper was written "68,000 tabs" and on the other "your Billy Whizz".

Allen, who claimed to be a property developer, said that tabs stood for "total amount of bricks and slates". He also stated that "Billy Whizz" was the name of his driver.

Earlier this year a jury found Allen guilty of being concerned in supplying amphetamines and attempting to pervert the course of justice by writing to an acquaintance whilst in custody and asking him to contact witnesses to tell them what story to tell in court in support of his case.

A second jury subsequently found him guilty of being concerned in the supply of Ecstasy.

Following the conviction, Detective Sergeant Paul Foster, the investigating officer in the case, said: "We are very pleased with the result in the Michael Allen case. We will be carrying on our fight against drugs and hope that this latest conviction gets the message across to other people in the borough engaged in these activities."

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