ALISTAIR Bell had spent time in prison for his role as an enforcer for a gang of ruthless drug dealers.
Bell, divorced, with a daughter and stepson, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years in March 1997 for false imprisonment, wounding and possessing a shotgun with intent to cause fear.
It followed an eight-week trial at Leeds Crown Court after which brothers Peter and David Brocklesby, who ran a drugs business in Ravensthorpe, were jailed for a total of 43 years.
Mr Bell, who was 28 at the time and living in Foxlow Avenue, Rawthorpe, was part of the gang that protected the brothers’ drug trade in heroin and crack cocaine.
He was one of the henchmen responsible for kidnapping, imprisoning and torturing customers suspected of stepping out of line by “grassing” or defaulting on payment.
The gang was said to have had more than 70 customers a day visiting their “shop”.
Among their tactics was to stab victims before sewing the wounds back together with rudimentary needles.
In one incident Mr Bell provided muscle when drug addict Andrew Mournian was given rough surgery with a sewing needle after being stabbed.
On two other occasions he was present when victim Philip Parker was attacked.
In the first incident Mr Parker was stabbed with a knife which went through his leg.
In the second he had his face branded with a hot soldering iron while a gun was held to his face.
He tried to escape through a window, but was pulled back and held captive all night.
Police recovered a huge cache of weapons, drugs paraphernalia and hundreds of pounds in cash from various homes during their investigation.
Peter Brocklesby was jailed for 22 years. David Brocklesby, was jailed for 21 years.
Bell was jailed after admitting false imprisonment of Mr Mournian, wounding both he and Mr Parker with intent, and having the shotgun with intent to cause fear.
Last year Mr Bell’s house on Cockley Hill Lane was raided by police investigating drug and gun crime.
They found drugs during the operation, part of co-ordinated searches across the Huddersfield area.
