A former Colchester taxi driver who was the driver for a large-scale drug operation in Suffolk and Essex run by an organised crime gang has been given a suspended prison sentence.

The operation involved large amounts of cocaine, heroin and cannabis and although Olusola Durojaiye initially drove members of the gang around as a legitimate taxi driver there came a time when he knew they were involved in the supply of drugs, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

“He nonetheless drove them to various houses where they were supplying drugs and to and from their home addresses,” said Edward Renvoize, prosecuting.

He said that in December 2018 Durojaiye took members of the gang to Southend to buy weapons.

When they were unable to buy a machete and a sword because they were too young they had called Durojaiye who had bought the weapons on their behalf, said Mr Renvoize.

The court heard Durojaiye was arrested in January 2019 for helping members of the group “spirit away” a 17-year-old youth following the murder of 32-year-old Daniel Saunders in Ipswich.

Mr Saunders was attacked in Turin Street, Ipswich in December 2018 and died at the scene of the incident from a single stab wound.

Kieran Hayward, of Hasted Close, Bury St Edmunds, was found guilty of murder and having a bladed article after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court in 2019 and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years

Durojaiye, who was living in Appleton Mews, Colchester. was found guilty with four other defendants of assisting an offender and was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, 250 hours unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Last week, Durojaiye, 37, now of Drapers End, Bedford, admitted participating in the activities of an organised crime group between September 2018 and January 2019 and his sentencing was adjourned until Monday (November 7) when he was given a 15-month prison sentence suspended for two years, a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work.

Damian Nolan for Durojaiye said his client had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and had left the army after being injured.

He said Durojaiye had lost his employment as a taxi driver and was hoping to pursue a career in project management after recently completing a master’s degree.