A Barrow man has been sent to prison for his involvement in the transportation of drugs between Barrow and Merseyside.

Officers stopped Anthony Wharton’s vehicle on the A590 near Dalton, as it travelled from Liverpool to Barrow, on June 1 of last year.

Wharton, 68, of Marsden Street, Barrow, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court today (January 20) to 2 years and 2 months.

He had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs (heroin and cocaine).

Evidence captured by police showed Wharton travelling between Barrow and Liverpool on numerous occasions between May 1 and June 1 last year, when it was believed he played a key role in the transportation of Class A drugs between Cumbria and Merseyside.

Analysis of telecommunications data showed Wharton exchanging text messages with Barry Nelson, 46, of High White Close, who was sentenced to 3 years in prison in September for possession with intent to supply ‘crack’ cocaine.

Nelson was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped.

Sergeant Jamie Eaton, of the South Area Drugs Squad, said: “Our detective worked showed that Wharton was involved in the supply of drugs by driving Nelson to and from Merseyside from Barrow. Such an investigation is often time consuming and I am pleased that the hard work of our officers has today paid off.

“Some people may think that if they are not handling the drugs and directly supplying them on the streets, then they will be let off lightly. Wharton’s role was to transport someone else from A to B, and I hope that the sentence handed to him shows that any role in drug supply is taken seriously.”