A FAMILY man made the “worst decision of his life” when he was coerced into working for a multi-million-pound drug smuggling gang, a court heard.

Police found four kilos of amphetamines, a kilo of party drug MDMA, two kilos of cannabis and 860g of cocaine when they raided father-of-two Aaron Wright’s Didcot home last March.

Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday the 34-year-old had become involved with a organised crime syndicate centred on Didcot and masterminded by drug dealer Neil Wadley.

Judge Peter Ross said he could not understand how Wright had been pressured into storing the drugs by Wadley’s right-hand man Mark Rumble.

Jailing him for four years and eight months Judge Ross added: “I sentence you with a great degree of sadness. It is clear you have been a decent, family man, a hard-working man.

“On the face of it his involvement in what is an incredibly serious crime is inexplicable.”

Glenn Harris, defending, told the court that Wright had come into contact with the gang when Rumble turned up at Wright’s home in Norreys Street, Didcot, to answer his advert to sell an air rifle.

He added: “Rumble showed him a package and asked him to look after it for a few days.

“Mr Wright refused and Mr Rumble left, but had not given up.

“He returned and persisted in his request, persuading Mr Wright to make what can only be described as the worst decision he has ever made and is ever likely to make in his whole life.”

Prosecutor Ross Cohen told Oxford Crown Court inexperienced Wright had also delivered a package of drugs to Wadley’s partner at his home in Pound Lane, Upton.

Wright admitted conspiring to sell cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and MDMA at a hearing at the same court last year.

Mr Harris said his client had lived an ordinary life until he came into contact with Rumble – who had been running the crime ring after Wadley fled to Malaga in Spain.

Mr Harris told the court Wright had shown remorse, and appealed for lenience and mercy because of his early guilty pleas and previous good character.

He added: “He lived and worked locally, his wife worked locally, he was a caring father to his children who went to a local school – an ordinary life.”

“This decision has cost him dearly. It has cost him his good name, it has cost him his liberty.

“You don’t get that back, not seeing his children grow up for the last year.

“Those are his costs and he will continue to pay.”

Professional criminal Wadley, 47, was jailed last week for 17 years after admitting conspiring to supply cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and MDMA. He also admitted possessing methoxetamine with intent to supply.

Eight other gang members were jailed for a total of nearly 74 years and 11 months at the same court for their part in the multiple conspiracies.

The court heard the gang would move kilos of cocaine and cannabis bought from other crime groups in Spain, Liverpool, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, London, Reading and Southend-on-Sea then stored in Didcot, Newbury, Reading and Hemel Hempstead.

Officers seized drugs with a combined street value of about £1.3m from the gang.