A 'SCOUSE' drug dealer jailed for selling heroin and crack cocaine in Worcester is behind bars yet again for doing the same thing.

Neil Hyatt, nicknamed 'Scouse', was jailed for dealing the class A drugs in Wyld's Lane in 2015 but when he got out of prison he carried on dealing, this time setting up shop in Diglis.

Hyatt and his three co-conspirators were all sentenced at Worcester Crown Court yesterday after admitting a conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine in Diglis after the Liverpool 'manager' set up a so-called 'cuckooing' operation in Worcester, using an addict's home as a base to deal drugs.

Hyatt, aged 35, of Prescott Road, Liverpool and Nicholas Grainger, aged 39, of Park Street, Worcester, received immediate jail sentences.

Elaine Pritchard, aged 45, of Princes Street, Worcester, and Ben Kelly, 19, of Prescott Road, Liverpool both received suspended prison sentences for their role in the conspiracy.

We previously reported how Hyatt was jailed for five years and eight months at the same court, also for dealing heroin and crack cocaine in Worcester.

In November 2015 Hyatt tried to escape police through a window, wearing only his underwear and a dressing gown, as officers smashed their way into the flat in Wyld's Lane.

Arrests for the more recent offences came after officers had been on patrol, this time in Diglis, on Wednesday May 1 this year as part of an operation to tackle 'County Lines' dealing, where drug pushers from big cities set up in smaller places such as Worcester.

Alexandra Bull, prosecuting, said police observed drug users near the canal towpath and Grainger was seen to make an exchange. Hyatt, Pritchard and Kelly were arrested at an address in Donaldson Court in Princes Drive, Diglis, described as a 'cuckooing' address, where an addict's home is used to sell drugs.

A dining room table had been used to prepare the drugs. Officers seized wraps of heroin and crack cocaine in cling-film and two mobile phones (a Nokia and an Alcatel). Hyatt was found with around £1,000 in tightly rolled notes in cling film and a further £622 in notes and coins.

The mobile phones were found to contain advertising messages sent out to users, one of which, sent on April 30, read 'biggest and best about'.

The court heard that Hyatt was known as 'Scouse' which was also the name of the drugs line. Kelly was also found with £1,000 cash, 10 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine and also a train ticket from Liverpool to Worcester dated April 29.

Grainger's address in Park Street, Worcester, was raided where police seized digital scales and a Kinder egg used to conceal drugs.

In interview he said his drugs debt had been increased and he'd been told if he did not pay 'his legs would be shot off' and so he began street dealing.

Pritchard, Hyatt and Kelly gave 'no comment' interviews.

Pritchard had 27 previous convictions including for possession of a knife and supplying cocaine from her address on October 23 last year.

Hyatt, who has 39 previous convictions, was identified as a 'three strikes' dealer which made him eligible for a minimum seven-year sentence.

Kelly had no previous convictions although at the Worcester hearing he admitted three assaults in Liverpool against emergency workers - two paramedics and a police officer - which included kicking and spitting.

Grainger had 34 previous convictions dating back to 1996 including for the possession and supply of drugs.

Miss Bull, prosecuting, said Hyatt had a 'leading' and 'managerial' role and described Kelly as his 'lieutenant'. Grainger's role was identified by the prosecution as 'significant' with some knowledge of the scale of the operation.

Pritchard had a 'lesser role' and is 'a drug addict' who accepted her reward was the feeding of her addiction.

Mark Lister, for Hyatt, said his client had not been working at the time and was in a hostel in Liverpool and had indicated a guilty plea at the magistrates court.

Alun Williams, for Grainger, said: "Remorse is clear from his pre-sentence report."

Mr Williams said his client 'received payment for his activities in drugs' and had 'relapsed into drug use at the time of the anniversary of his mother's death' after she died three years earlier.

Mr Williams described Grainger as having 'split personality disorder', 'explosive personality disorder' and depression and anxiety

Mark Sheward, for Pritchard, said his client had been offered a place at Willowdene to help with her drug rehabilitation and added: "If you stop her using drugs, you stop her offending."

Jo Outhwaite, for Kelly, said the probation service had described her client as 'naive', 'easily exploited' and 'gullible'.

Judge Jim Tindal said: "Anyone who wants to know what happens to people who take drugs only has to look at people like Miss Pritchard. You, Miss Pritchard, have ruined your life with drugs."

He told her 'it's quite surprising you're not dead', and added: "You have been given all the chances. Some might say you have blown them."

However, he said none of the defendants are 'Mr Big' though Hyatt was clearly in charge of the operation.

The judge jailed Hyatt for five-and-a-half years and Grainger for three years.

He sentenced Kelly to two years in prison suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 40 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Pritchard also received a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.