A COUPLE who supplied illicit cheap tobacco products from their home made tens of thousands of pounds from their activities at the expense of the Treasury.

Durham Crown Court heard for several years Darrell and Jean Wild made doorstep sales of duty-free cigarettes and rolled tobacco, some supplied by people returning from overseas holidays.

In return the Wilds, who own a villa in Florida, USA, would make a contribution to reduce the cost of their supplier’s holidays.

The court was told when their own stocks ran empty or, when they were away themselves, Jean Wild’s sister, Linda Temple and her husband, Edward, who lived nearby in Eleventh Street, Horden, County Durham, acted as back-up, or “reserve” sellers.

Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey said Wild’s daughter Tracey Carr also helped with some sales to assist her parents.

The Wilds, both 64, 63-year-old Edward Temple, and his 58-year-old wife, Linda, both now of John Wilson Court, Horden, and 43-year-old Carr, of Staindrop Way, Peterlee, all of previous good character, each admitted conspiracy to evade duty, between January 2008 and June, 2013.

The Temples also admitted transferring criminal property, relating to payment made to the Wilds.

Mr Mullarkey said their activities came to light in May 2013, as a result of surveillance by trading standards officers who observed between 40 and 60 callers a day at the Wild’s house, and a lesser number visiting the nearby home of the Temples.

Test purchases were made by undercover officers, before police and trading standards officials visited the respective homes on June 20, 2013.

A large amount of tobacco products, some counterfeit, were recovered, while £4,224 was seized from the homes of the Wilds and Temples.

All those involved made subsequent admissions, Jean Wild telling the officers it had been going on, “for a couple of years”.

Rod Hunt, for the Wilds, said the Florida villa was bought legitimately from compensation for the “industrial history” of Mr Wild, as a coal-face miner.

“They feel ashamed of what they have done. It started small and got bigger.

“I don’t think they realised how big it became.

“It was a little bit and often rather than a huge sum at once, so it didn’t register how big it was.”

But he said they were, “highly co-operative" with investigators.

Richard Herrmann, for the Temples, said they were, “very much the reserve team.”

Rebecca Brown, for Carr, said she had little involvement, occasionally assisting her parents.

The Wilds were given 20-month prison sentences, suspended for a year, during which they will undergo probation supervision.

They were ordered to pay £50,000 compensation, which the court heard will be made from the sale of their villa.

The Temples were given eight-month prison sentences, suspended for a year, with the £4,224 recovered from the two properties as their contribution to the confiscation.

Carr was given a one-year community order, also with supervision.