A HARTLEBURY man has been jailed for his role in a gang which ran a £1.25 million trade in stolen cars over an 18-month period.

Judge John Cavell said the scam was a "highly sophisticated and organised criminal conspiracy".

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, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Businessman Stephen Clarke, 33, of Saxons Meadow, Walton Lane, Hartlebury, said by the prosecution 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.

Anton Nar, 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, 25, of Raby Street, All Saints, Wolverhampton, whose computer skills were used in the forging of false registration documents, was jailed for five years.

Paul Mason, 40, of Studley Road, Redditch, was jailed for two years and Patrick Behan, 50, of The Dean, Earls Common, Droitwich, was sentenced to 18 months jail and ordered to pay £9,000 compensation.

All five were convicted of a car ringing conspiracy to steal after a six-week trial. The case followed a country-wide investigation code-named Operation Trinket by West Midlands police.

Clarke had let his love and fascination for prestige cars get the better of him, said his counsel Anthony Warner. His life had been transformed by the disaster that had befallen him.

Kevin Metzger, for Nar, disputed that he was the ring leader. He claimed there was no evidence that he was involved with finding cars to be stolen.

Wilfred Foster-Jones, for Mistry, said he had lost a promising career and brought shame on his family. He had let himself be led by his peers.

Tim Barnes QC, for Behan, claimed that 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 that he had only been stopped by his wife from hanging himself, said his barrister Simon Ward.

The judge said, however, that people who played for high stakes must expect substantial jail sentences.