AN ARMED drugs gang which brought fear to the streets of Teesside - by ramraiding homes and cars and firing shotguns in the street - was caught after police put members under surveillance and tracked their movements as part of a covert operation.

The gang, led by Joshua Conroy, was found to have sawn-off shotguns, revolvers and drugs including cocaine, ecstasy and heroin, in a yard he was renting in Trimdon, County Durham, under the guise of being a dog breeder.

Using 4x4s – one of which had been modified to cause the most damage possible – they ramraided the homes of people who owed them money, some on quiet residential streets, and also fired shots at each other in the street.

After keeping the gang under surveillance for several months, recording prison visit conversations and even listening to a recorded conversation Conroy had while on hold to his insurance company, in which he talked about using guns, police raided the yard and their homes.

Tens of thousands of pounds of drugs and weapons were uncovered in the raids.

Conroy, 28, of HMP Durham, Michael Sinclair, 28 of Wateravens Way, Stockton, Nathan Asquith, 28, of Ramsbury Avenue, Stockton, Mark Oliphant, 43, of Cranbourne Terrace, Stockton, Anthony Walker, 39, of Stafford Close, Thornaby, Christopher Davis, 28, of Kesteven Road, Middlesbrough, and Paige Nixon, 26, of Trimdon Avenue, Middlesbrough, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing on a raft of charges including firearms possession, drug possession with intent to supply, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said police began an extensive investigation into the activities of Joshua Conroy from July last year.

“The investigation uncovered what the Crown submits is an organised network dealing with the supply of drugs, and the collection of debt from that supply,” she said.

“It is apparent that when debts were not paid, some of those within the group took it upon themselves to ‘tax’ the debtors, usually by way of ramming the debtor’s car or property with which they had a connection.”

One victim had shots fired towards his home in Acklam, then days later his mother’s property in Grove Hill was ramraided, causing £5,000 worth of damage.

The court heard three Shoguns, one modified with a steel girder on the front, had travelled to her home in convoy.

Later Conroy’s phone was examined by police and a photo of the damaged house, with laughing emojis superimposed over the picture, was found.

Asquith was also later recorded speaking on the telephone to his brother Ben Tordoff, who was in Durham Prison.

Ms Richardson said: “The latter told his brother that last night that (the victims) got it bad, that their house in Acklam got done and then another and that he, Conroy, Tiger (aka Anthony Walker) and Jonesy teamed up in three Jeeps and ripped everything up.”

Another incident in quiet Millburn Crescent in Stockton saw a Ford Focus rammed at high speed repeatedly by 4x4s driven by men in balaclavas.

Ms Richardson added: “As might well be expected, these incidents led to a certain degree of public and press interest and indeed outrage that the police appeared to be doing very little to combat any future occurrences.

“In fact the police had been gathering information on Joshua Conroy and others for some time, but of course were unable to “play their hand” until the evidence led them unequivocally to these defendants.”

Nat Wade, mitigating on behalf of Nixon, who was Conroy’s partner, said she had no idea of the criminal activity he was involved in until more recently and had accepted money from him to live on – effectively the proceeds of crime - when she became pregnant with his child and had to sell her salon business.

Walker was described as being a ‘a footsoldier who goes along with it because he wants to belong to this older, bigger group’.

Sinclair and Asquith had never been in trouble before and both had a good work ethic, Sinclair as a bricklayer and asbestos remover and Asquith having served five years in the British Army, the court heard.

Oliphant had become involved with Conroy when he started working at the kennels due to his interest in dogs.

The case continues on Friday, when Conroy’s mitigation will be heard before all seven are sentenced.