'WICKED and evil' summed up former Hereford United director Michael Hancocks' plot to contaminate Bulmers' cider before he was put behind bars.

Hancocks, aged 64, began an 18-month prison sentence last Thursday for hatching an elaborate plot that could have put the public's health at risk and which threatened to halt production over Bulmers' critical Christmas period, 2001.

Sentencing a white-faced Hancocks who is recovering from a major operation involving the arteries supplying his brain, Judge John Foley said: "This was a wicked and evil agreement to achieve what you sought to achieve aimed at a rival and clearly it merits a custodial sentence."

The former managing director of cider rival, Midlands-based Aston Manor Brewery, was sentenced with co-accused Paul Harris, 41, of Kings Caple, a former boyfriend of Hancocks' daughter, Susan Vaughan (not involved in the crime).

Harris, formerly a part-time doorman at Eros, Hereford, and a Sun Valley worker, was set to profit by at least £16,000 for his role as a go-between in the crime. He is now serving 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to contaminate the products of HP Bulmer with intent to cause economic loss.

He had been asked by his girlfriend's father to find a Bulmers' employee susceptible to a bribe who would carry out his deed, the court heard. He also transported the yeast, disguised in fruit juice bottles.

Victor Temple QC, prosecuting, said: "Hancocks asked him if he knew anybody who worked at Bulmers and if he would be up for a job putting stuff into their product."

Mr Temple said Harris asked what the effect would be and was told: "It just makes a few people have the squirts, nothing too drastic."

Harris, who the Crown said was frank throughout his interviews regarding his role, said he didn't know what was making Hancocks so persistent in his plan. He was described as a 'foot soldier in a servile role' by Michael Cullum QC, defending.

Recruited

Also recruited was Michael Gay, 51, of Weston lane, Tyseley, Birmingham. A chemist who once worked at Aston Manor Brewery, Gay's job was to produce the yeast.

The court heard he thought the yeast was to be used for research and in any case had not managed to produce what was ordered.

Gay previously pleaded guilty to being in possession of material to be used for making it appear that Bulmers' cider had been interfered with. Last Friday he was given a 200-hour community punishment order and told to pay £5,000 towards the costs of the case.

Ringleader, Hancocks, of Hafod Road, Hereford, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Bulmers by attempting to introduce the yeast-based substance into its cider between August 31, 2001 and April 5, 2002. He had claimed he only wanted to cause 'a degree of nuisance value'.

Hancocks was a major shareholder in Aston Manor Brewery and closely tied to the company's fortunes, suffering a downward trend during the final months of 2001. Redundancies were feared, said Mr Temple.

He said Hancocks harboured a considerable amount of animosity towards Bulmers and disrupting the factory would have benefited Aston Manor.

Defending Hancocks, Anthony Barker QC, said his client had great respect for the Bulmer family but believed the current management was seeking to ruin competitors.

Hancocks had said his plan was 'nothing more than a gesture of defiance, expected to cause no more than confusion or irritation.

The plan, which has cost Hancocks his reputation and damaged his health and finances, was scuppered by Bulmers forklift truck driver, Russell Jordan.

Offered money by Harris to carry out the contamination, Mr Jordan alerted Bulmers' bosses who called in the police. A massive surveillance operation was launched.

In a statement following last Thursday's sentencing, detective sergeant Gary Rowe, involved in the £150,000 police operation, said: "This case has clearly shown that Michael Hancocks is a ruthless businessman who was prepared to engage in serious criminal activities in order to gain a commercial advantage over his competitors.

"This was a cynical and calculated attempt by Hancocks to disrupt and possibly halt production at Bulmers during the critical Christmas period. The economic impact on the company, its employees and the farming community within Herefordshire who supply Bulmers with their apples would have been huge.

"Today's conclusion is the result of a complex and painstaking investigation conducted jointly by West Mercia Constabulary and the National Crime Squad over a period of six months."

Bulmers' spokesman George Thomas said the cider giant is pleased that, after almost two years, the affair is over and business can move forward.

"It is important that consumers know that no contamination of our product ever took place and quality assurance at our factory is of the highest standard. At no time has Bulmers ever taken action against Hancocks or his company, Aston Manor, which would justify such a criminal act by a commercial competitor."