FIVE members of a drugs gang who made more than £1m will have to pay back just a third of their ill-gotten gains - with one having to hand over just £1.

Police smashed a heroin dealing ring last year, which resulted in six people being jailed for a total of 30 years at Teesside Crown Court this February.

All but one of the crooks had their case back before a judge yesterday for a hearing under Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to have their cash clawed back.

The main conspirator Andy Bennett, 25, of Benson Street, Stockton, was ruled to have illegally made £426,322 and has been ordered to pay back £13,683.

His girlfriend Joanne Wilson, 30, of Everest Grove, West Boldon, South Tyneside, will have £14,061 confiscated after she benefited to the sum of £323,708.

Sam Dowson, 24, of Ingleton Road, Stockton, must forfeit £3,072 even though it was agreed between lawyers that he made 100 times that much - £302,685.

The figures for Craig Thompson, 31, of Hexham Avenue, Hebburn, South Tyneside were a £1,000 benefit and a nominal £1 confiscation, Judge Sean Morris heard.

Haytham Baker, 23, from Saltney in Cheshire was said to have made £600, and has £600 available to repay - money seized by police at the time of his arrest.

The court heard earlier this year that the gang brought drugs to the North-East from Merseyside for onward distribution to the Teesside area.

When Wilson was arrested driving a Mercedes car, she was wearing a Rolex watch which had been valued at £11,000, prosecutor Martin Towers said.

Wilson - who was jailed for two-and-a-half years - was the personal assistant and girlfriend Bennett, who got the longest sentence, of eight years.

Mr Towers said she arranged for an address linked to her to be used as a production facility where the drugs were cut and the packages remade using hydraulic presses.

The court heard 2.24kg of heroin with a street value of about £246,000 was found in Thompson’s house. He later said his biggest consignment was up to 15kg.

Judge Peter Armstrong at the time described it as “a serious conspiracy”, and said: Those who assist dealers by warehousing drugs, and by running errands, play an important role because they help those doing the dealing avoid detection. Punishment must follow.”

Dowson was jailed for six years; Daniel Crone, 30, of Brook Cottages, Consett, got five years; Thompson received five years; and Baker for three-and-a-half years.