THE 'kingpin' behind a major drugs operation across Oxford has been jailed.

Crime boss Marlon Thompson, of Earlon House, Islington, London, was sentenced today to five years in prison for his role in the sordid enterprise to flood the city with class A drugs.

The 22-year old had already admitted two counts of conspiracy to possess class A drugs - heroin and cocaine, with intent to supply.

Prosecutors at Oxford Crown Court said that he was known as 'Gucci' in reference to the name of the drugs line in which he sold heroin and cocaine to addicts across the city.

Thompson looked around the court with a grin on his face as he was jailed for playing a 'significant role' in the drug dealing this morning.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Goymer said: "Any judge sitting in these courts dealing with these kinds of offences sees the whole tide of misery that class A drugs produce.

"They see how people develop a habit that overides all moral sense, quite apart from the effect on their health and the inevitable shortening of their life.

"[Thompson] was acting with no or at least very minimal supervision while engaging in these activities."

The scale of the drug dealing was first exposed, the court heard, after two undercover officers, codenamed Joe and Rich, busted the illicit operation after covertly recording a number of drug deals.

Of these, Thompson was implicated in at least seven separate deals and taking to the witness box at a pre-sentence hearing on Friday he admitted that he was sometimes in Oxford to ply drugs as often as five or six days a week.

He had tried to argue that he was just a runner for the operation having become embroilled in a drugs debt of some £3,400 but prosecutors succesfully argued that he had played a much greater role in the dealing than claimed.

Thompson also had a previous conviction for drug dealing dating back to 2012.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone told the court ahead of the sentencing: "The fact is that it is four years later and you are no longer a runner, you have moved up the chain. You are now running your own drugs line."

As part of the enteprise Thompson was also insured on a number of vehicles used to travel from his London base of operations to Oxford.

Among the vehicles was a BMW 64-plate registered in 2014, factors which Mr Stone argued meant he had a commanding role in the enterprise.

In mitigation, Lucy Tapper said that her client had shown 'genuine remorse' and had taken it upon himself to enrol in a number of classes and courses while at prison.

Meanwhile, co-defendant Khari Oram, 20, of Glen Parva, Wigston, Leicestershire, was also jailed after undercover officers caught him plying drugs in Oxford as well as in Brighton.

The court heard that during these deals he had referred to himself as 'Gucci's little brother' - referring to Thompson.

The court heard that he had been homeless and was exploited by those further up the drugs chain, acting as a runner for the short lived business which was in effect between July 29 and November 9 2016.

Oram was jailed for a total of 40 months - made up of three years for the drug dealing charges as well as four months consecutive for breaching an earlier suspended sentence, and 1 day concurrent and a fine of £5 for breaching a conditional discharge.

Thompson was jailed for five years for playing a 'significant role' in the drug dealing operation.