Drug dealer who blackmailed family jailed

A drug dealer has been jailed for his part in a campaign of intimidation to blackmail a family in Nottingham.

Two men targeted the Mapperley household during December, forcing their way into the house, smashing windows and banging on doors, police said.

Dean Hudson, aged 27, of Arnold Road, was found to have organised the attacks and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail and possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

He was jailed for a total of four years and one month at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

Officers said the two men turned up at the house on 11 December last year and threatened a woman after claiming her son owed them £42,000.

They then barged their way into the house before snatching a mobile phone and car keys from her daughter's hand.

The pair left empty-handed, but the intimidation continued six days later when windows were smashed and a marked police car, parked outside the property to protect the family, was damaged with a brick, police said.

Later the same day, a man turned up at the address and banged on the door before leaving.

Police said once they had linked Hudson to the two men, he was arrested on 22 December.

A search of his property found bags full of drugs, later identified as ketamine, and further evidence of drug dealing.

Det Sgt Alana Scott said: "Very serious threats were made to members of this family in their own home. It must have been a frightening ordeal for them even though they weren't seriously harmed.

"Despite the complexities of the investigation we quickly identified Hudson as a suspect and significant amounts of drugs were recovered when we raided his home."

Police have also appealed for any information on the two men who directly harassed the family.

Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.