A DRUG dealer from Farnworth is beginning an 11-year prison sentence for his role in the killing of a housing manager in East Lancashire.

Former Foreign Legion soldier Michael Dunphy, aged 39, and Daniel Jones, aged 28, from Bacup, acted as “henchmen”

for drugs kingpin Paul Devalda when he targeted father-of-four Paul Brady.

Mr Brady had recently taken delivery of a large consignment of cocaine and Devalda planned to abduct him and seize the drugs, Preston Crown Court heard.

But a 10-strong gang snatched Mr Brady off the street, beat him with baseball bats and threatened him with a shotgun before bundling him into a waiting people carrier.

He was never seen again.

He had been lured to a luxury housing estate in Rossendale, which he managed, after a firework was set off in an empty house.

Dunphy, of Greenside, Farnworth, had recommended two men to Devalda who could take part in the kidnapping, the court heard.

One of them, Jason Martin, left his balaclava at the scene. He was killed in a brawl in Dublin a month later.

Jones’s role was reconnaissance.

He told Devalda Mr Brady was there.

Jones was yesterday jailed for 10 years after he and Dunphy admitted manslaughter and conspiracy to kidnap.

Dunphy had been convicted of drug-dealing while serving with the Foreign Legion in Belgium.

When he returned to the UK, he set up his own business but returned to drug dealing when the firm failed and was effectively employed by Devalda.

Stephen Meadowcroft QC, defending Dunphy, said his client only knew Mr Brady had been killed when he was arrested by police.

Earlier this year Devalda, of Padiham, was jailed for life after being convicted of Mr Brady's kidnap and murder.