What's believed to be the highest prison sentence ever imposed for a drugs offence in the Isle of Man has been handed down to a Douglas man.

Thirty year-old Martin O'Malley, of Hibbin Way was jailed for a total of 14 years by Deemster Doyle at a Court of General Jail.

He admitted being involved in the importation of cocaine, possessing the drug with intent to supply, possessing both cannabis bush and resin and removing money, the proceeds of drug trafficking, from the jurisdiction.

The offences were all committed between August 2005 and March 2007.

Linda Watt, prosecuting. said O'Malley was arrested on March 18.

A car driven by a man called Hagan, which had come over from Liverpool, was found to have seven packages of cocaine concealed in a door panel. Hagan was jailed for eleven years earlier this year.

Twenty thousand pounds was found in a hotel room which had been booked by Hagan, and a further ?2,000 in English ?50 notes was found in O'Malley's home, along with another ?1,080 in cash.

After lying to police about his involvement, O'Malley told them he had ordered the cocaine and was to pay ?40,000. He thought it would be worth ?200,000. The packages contained 1,700 grammes of cocaine.

Police also discovered 36 cash transactions made at Lloyds TSB at Victory House, totalling over ?28,000 and payable to a Martin Maddox in Birkenhead. There was also an account in the name of Maddox's sister. Maddox was arrested in August last year.

O'Malley's advocate, Darren Talbot, said the defendant had made the most disastrous decision of his life, and he hoped people would learn from what had happened to him and not get involved in drugs. O'Malley took a chance because he was desperate for money but, said Mr Talbot, he only stood to gain ?3,000.

Deemster Doyle said the aggravating factor was the quantity of cocaine and the level of profit. He said those coming from the United Kingdom with drugs would be caught and dealt with severely.

At the conclusion of the case Detective Sergeant Allan Thompson of the Drug Trafficking Unit said it was a classic case of dissolving a criminal network. He said the organiser, O'Malley; the courier, Hagan; and the 'money man' Maddocks were sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison.

DS Thompson praised the hard work and dedication of officers in the unit who had brought the convictions about. He said he was satisfied with the punishments handed down by Deemster Doyle, and hoped it would send out a clear message to anybody thinking about importing drugs into the Island.

(Picture: Douglas Courthouse, where Martin O'Malley was jailed for 14 years).