A MAN, who ran a drug supply line from his home, has been jailed for 15 years after being arrested following a violent assault he led on one of his customers in Basildon.

On 3 August last year, Jordan Miah-Mora, 24, , of Broxburn Drive, South Ockendon, recruited associate Tom Mullen, 34, to attack a customer of his heroin and crack cocaine drug line.

The pair kicked down the door to their victim's property in Basildon and set about assaulting one of the occupants over an alleged unpaid drug debt.

One of the pair hit their victim in the ribs with a hammer and smashed a bottle over his head.

The victim was further struck while he lay defenceless on the floor.

He suffered serious injuries including a ruptured spleen, lacerations to his head and back, and bruised ribs.

The assault followed a wave of threatening messages sent by Miah-Mora to the victim.

They included threats to "tie him up and torture him" and "put fire in his letterbox".

The victim knew Miah-Mora as a drug dealer and revealed that he owed him money.

Miah-Mora and his associates had visited his address the day prior to the assault, on 2 August, to throw stones and bricks at the windows of the property.

Mullen was promptly arrested on the day of the assault and later charged with aggravated burglary.

It was further found he had acted in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed following a conviction for sexual activity with a child aged under 16 in February 2019.

He was charged with breaching this order and failing to comply with notification requirements.

Detectives took time to build their case against Miah-Mora and established he ran a drug line with the brand name 'Doctor'.

He was arrested in September last year and charged with aggravated burglary, a charge he denied.

Miah-Morah has now been convicted of the charge following a trial at Basildon Crown Court and has appeared for sentence.

He previously admitted being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin and was deemed a dangerous offender by the judge.

He received an extended 17-year sentence, comprising 15 years imprisonment and two years on license.

Mullen, of no fixed address, admitted aggravated burglary, breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with notification requirements. He was jailed for 10 years.

PC Liam Thursby, officer in the case, said: "This was a particularly serious case of drug-driven violence carried out by two prolific offenders.

"Our priority was ensuring we built a solid case against Miah-Morah and Mullen to secure convictions against the pair of them.

"They will remain where they belong, behind bars, for a significant period of time and Basildon will be a safer place as result.

"I'm particularly pleased the judge in the case recognised that Miah-Morah's entrenched criminal lifestyle posed a risk of serious harm to the public, necessitating an extended sentence.

"As a result, we've seen more than 27 years in prison sentences passed down on two violent offenders and justice served for the victim.

"Most cases involving Class A drug supply involve a form of violence, exploitation or intimidation of vulnerable drug users.

"This was an extreme example of that and proves how seriously the police and the courts will take this offending."