A man who fled to the UK and changed his name by deed poll to avoid the authorities is beginning a ten year prison sentence for drug smuggling.

Sean Alexander Heatlie (56) has been jailed for importing cocaine into the island.

He was arrested in May when he returned to Jersey under his new name, having breached his bail and absconded the previous November.

He'd originally been arrested after phone data recovered as part of a separate drugs investigation showed Heatlie was involved in the supply of cocaine.

Police found £195,000 of unexplained funds in his bank statements over a two year period.

After his re-arrest, an examination of his phone showed evidence he was involved in cocaine importations to Jersey whilst he was in the UK.

Heatlie admitted numerous drugs offences and has been sentenced to ten years and four months in prison by the Royal Court.

Detective Sergeant Jim McGranahan from the Drug Squad says Heatlie thought he was getting away with dealing drugs in Jersey.

"He also thought by changing his name he would evade the authorities, but we caught up with him.

The safety of our community is always at the forefront of our minds and we will continue to work hard to keep illegal drugs and those who deal in them off our streets."