A MAN who allowed his home to be used for a drugs operation involving his two brothers has been jailed for more than three years.

Mixing bowls, scales and other drug dealing paraphernalia were found by police in the Oxford home of Reece Preston, Oxford Crown Court heard.

The 28-year-old played a lesser part in the cocaine dealing operation but the judge said he must have known what was happening in his flat.

Michael Roques, prosecuting, told the court on Thursday that one of Preston’s elder brothers, Gavin, would source the drugs which would then be mixed with other substances to bulk them up before being sold on.

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Reece Preston’s address in Ashhurst Way, Rose Hill, was one of the properties where this activity took place.

Mr Roques said police found 3.8 kilos of cutting agents commonly used to mix with drugs when they arrested Preston in February last year. Police also found two sets of scales and two food processors with traces of cocaine on them.

Claire Fraser, defending, said Preston had cared for his father who suffered lung cancer for several years but when his dad died he was told he would have to leave the property.

She said: “The impact on him of his father dying and losing the family home was significant.”

Preston moved to the address in Ashhurst Way but Ms Fraser said he spent more time with his mother and with other members of the family.

He admitted to allowing his premises to be used for class A drug sale and distribution between August 2013 and February 2014 at an earlier hearing.

Sentencing Preston, Judge Ian Pringle said: “These were large quantities of cocaine and you must have been aware of the scale of the operation that was going on.”

Judge Pringle sentenced him to 44 months’ prison with one month’s jail for possession of crack cocaine and diamorphine, found when he was arrested, to run concurrently.