A woman had her house burned down after she refused to help a gang of drug dealers.

A court heard how a number of men, known as the Alphabet Gang, moved into Jackie Sheppard's home and she was put under pressure to sell drugs.

She did not want to do it and ended up having her house in Hayes Road, Clacton, burned down, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Sheppard, 37, now of Groom Park, Clacton, was jailed for a total of four years after she admitted five charges of supplying drugs.

Two men arrested during the same police drugs clampdown in the town received suspended jail sentences.

Nine people have now been sentenced for their part in Operation Pict staged in Clacton during the summer.

Jail sentences totalling 20 years have been handed out so far. More people are due to be sentenced soon.

The two men who received suspended sentences were Patrick Chandler, 34, and 32-year-old Christopher Fisher.

Chandler, of Meade Drive, Little Clacton, admitted supplying heroin and cocaine. Fisher, of Beach Road, Clacton, admitted one charge of supplying heroin.

Chandler was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, and given an 18-month supervision order and a 12-month drug rehabilitation order.

Fisher was also jailed for 12 months, suspended for 18 months, plus 18 months supervision and a 12-month drug order.

Sheppard's barrister, Caroline Simson, said she had been put under pressure to sell drugs by the gang from east London.

Her house was burned down when she eventually said she no longer wanted to help the gang, Miss Simson said.

Defence counsel for Fisher told the court he was helping a friend.

Chandler's counsel, Jamas Hodivala, said his client had a record of drug abuse.