A SCHOOL technician armed himself with a sawn-off shotgun and started pushing cocaine.

Jason Dickson, 24, an IT worker at a school in Halton, led a criminal double life in a gang who peddled drugs worth a quarter of a million pounds.

Dickson, of The Knoll, Palace Field, Runcorn, drove a £20,000 VW Golf GTi despite a humble legitimate income.

But his double life fell apart when arrested with other gang members. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply, possession of one kilo of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of the sawn-off gun and was jailed for 10 years.

Also jailed were accomplices John Maddock, 38, and Christopher Rath-bone, 29.

Last month, another member of the gang, Lee Bignell, 23, of Rands Walk, Runcorn, was jailed for 5 1/2 years for possession of cocaine, intent to supply and possession of a sawn-off shotgun.

The court heard four kilos of the drug passed through the gang's hands in the five months they were tailed by covert drugs squad officers.

Dickson's side-kick Maddock, an unemployed electrician, owned an Audi convertible sports car and two flats, including his home in Stocksdale Drive, Great Sankey, complete with expensive plasma screen TV.

He was jailed for eight years in the hearing in Warrington crown court.

Rathbone, of Sovereign Close, Runcorn, was jailed for three years and nine months after admitting his home was used as a drugs safe house.

Today, DI Darren Hebden, of Cheshire police drug unit, said the gang distributed cocaine from Liverpool to outlying towns.

"We have stopped one of the major suppliers in Halton.

"Cocaine has gained a fashionable image and an association with wealth and success, which could not be further from the truth. It devastates lives."