A REDDITCH man was among five gang members who operated a £1.25 million trade in stolen cars and have been jailed for a total of 18 years.

Their scam was described as a "highly sophisticated and organised criminal conspiracy" by Judge John Cavell at Worcester Crown Court.

It involved the theft of at least 31 expensive German cars which were given new identities and sold with false registrations on the British market.

Paul Mason, aged 40, of Studley Road, was jailed for two years for his part in the operation.

Patrick Behan, aged 50, of The Dean, Earls Common, Droitwich, who runs Astwood Bank Garage, was jailed for 18 months and ordered to pay £9,000 compensation.

Anton Nar, aged 29, of Patricia Avenue, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, described as one of the ring leaders, was jailed for six years. He was also found guilty of converting criminal property by using some of the proceeds to buy himself a £43,000 Mercedes.

Former Wolverhampton University student Sameer Mistry, aged 25, of Raby Street, All Saints, Wolverhampton, whose computer skills were used in the forging of false registration documents, was jailed for five years.

Businessman Stephen Clarke, 33, of Saxons Meadow, Walton Lane, Hartlebury, near Kidderminster, said to be the "conduit" in the sale of four stolen cars, was jailed for three-and-a-half years and ordered to pay £9,000 compensation.

All five were convicted of a car ringing conspiracy after a six-week trial. The case followed a countrywide investigation code-named Operation Trinket by West Midlands Police.

Tim Barnes QC, for Behan, claimed the car dealer was at the end of the chain and had lost money through a car deal which went wrong.

Mason had been so distressed he had only been stopped by his wife from hanging himself, said his barrister, Simon Ward.

But the judge said people who played for high stakes must expect substantial jail sentences.