Jail for drinks smuggler

A man described by a judge as the "executive director" in a multi- million pound alcohol bootlegging operation was jailed for five years yesterday.

Anthony Spencer, 38, whose gang was known as The Libyans, was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court of evading duty between April and December 1994, during which about pounds 4m worth of goods was brought in through Dover. The loss to the taxpayer was around pounds 2m.

Judge David Croft QC was told that Spencer had assets to cover costs totalling pounds 700,000. He was ordered to pay the amount within a year or face a doubling of his sentence.