Wealthy Southampton businessman was mastermind behind multi-million pound drugs operation

Previously involved in a host of organisations, the 39-year-old was best known for running two firms that sold 4x4 vehicles on behalf of suppliers to customers from across the south.

But behind the façade the father-of-two was masterminding a potentially multi-million-pound cannabis farm, described as possibly the biggest in England, on land in one of Hampshire's most affluent areas.

It was on eight acres of private old farmland at Beech, near Alton, that Taylor, together with five criminal associates - including his own younger brother Alex Taylor - ran the drug harvesting factory.

Yesterday, the gang were starting jail terms totalling 25 years.

Turning a handful of the 12 sheds and buildings on the land - worth at least £1m if it was sold today - into rooms to harvest the drug, they spent thousands converting them into small rooms used for cultivating the cannabis.

More than £20,000 was spent simply setting up the hi-tech operation, that involved specialised mechanics to water, feed and grow the plants in their thousands.

Other buildings on the old chicken farm were used for storage of vast amounts of equipment including dozens of sheets of wooden boarding used to make shelves where the leaves could be dried out, fans and a ventilating system to help dispose of the smell.

The electricity supply had been bypassed dangerously - racking up a bill of more than £20,000, which is now owed to Southern Electric - while Taylor tried to cover up a suspicious £4,000 water bill by blaming it on leaking pipes at the farm.

It was in April 2005 when police obtained a warrant, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, to search the premises following inquiries and intelligence gathering.

More than 25 officers were involved in the raid at the property, which lies up a secluded lane and has two sets of electronic gates.

Inside, they found almost 4,000 plants of different sizes - some reaching up to 4ft high and ready for packaging and then sale on the streets.

Officer in the case, Pc Kevin Darvill said Allen Taylor was the ringleader in what was a major criminal enterprise, who had used his business as a front to make large orders for supplies from local building firms.

"This was quite a sophisticated and organised set up. Lighting was timed to give maximum effect and the plants were also watered and fed on a timer.

"It was a commercial irrigation system that was put in place and setting that up on its own would have cost at least £20,000 but it could even be double that."

Pc Darvill added: "Potentially we were looking at a multi-million pound business where the plants on their own had a street value of £330,000 from just one crop.

"However, maximised to three or four crops a year the yield could have been somewhere in the region of £1.5m.

"This is certainly the biggest cannabis farm we know of in Hampshire and potentially one of the biggest in England."

Taylor's firm, based in offices above Cromwell Tools in Millbrook, Southampton, was also raided and documents were seized that included invoices from local building suppliers - to whom Taylor still owes more than £15,000.

Speaking about Taylor, PC Darvill said: "From the start he tried to distance himself.

"We knew he had been to see a building supplier initially and said there would be some large orders, then people working for him would go and pick up the stuff or it would be delivered to Beech Farm.

"Part of his explanation of it's nothing to do with me' was that he had rented out the property to one of his co-defendants Michael Dickinson.

"He had even produced a tenancy agreement that intimated that Dickinson was renting the sheds.

"At the same time, Taylor was still running his business and all the time this was going on he was operating as what appeared to be a respectable businessman.

"He was very much at the forefront of this criminal activity, his role described as being like a managing director of a company. "

Police also discovered documents that related to plans to develop an old military site in Devon for the production of cannabis. Calculations were discovered for the growing of the drug that meant they would reap up huge amounts annually if they went ahead.

PC Darvill said: "They were an organised criminal group that potentially could have made millions of pounds between them.

"Who knows what or where that money could have been used for in the future.

"Taylor was a villain who used his business as a front to finance and also to hide behind financing this criminal enterprise."

Allen Taylor, of Kings Hill, Alton, was sentenced to seven years, Alex Taylor, 29, of Fairmile Road, Christchurch, was jailed for three years and Kevin Conway, 40, of Warwick, was jailed for five years. They were all convicted of conspiring to produce cannabis.

Michael Dickinson, 38, from Doncaster, and Peter Willis, 38, and James Barrett, 21, both of Dunkerswell, near Honiton, Devon admitted the same charge. They were jailed for four years, 42 months and one year respectively.

In mitigation for Allen Taylor, Matthew Jewell said until the start of this enterprise he was a successful law abiding businessman and it was inconceivable he woke up one morning and decided of his own volition he would go into business to cultivate cannabis.

"Whoever's idea it was, it is inconceivable that it was his. His background is wholly unconnected with drugs.

"Something must have prompted him to become involved in this. Allen Taylor will be regarded as being near or at the top of these defendants.

"Whether he is at the top is open to doubt. He didn't instigate this but played a substantial role in this."

Mr Jewell said his conviction had had devastating consequences.

"He had a legitimate and successful business whipped from under his feet.

"It has had a large financial impact on him.

"He will take his punishment harder than others," said Mr Jewell.

Mitigating for Alex Taylor, Colin Wells said he had not accepted the verdict but would accept his punishment.

"His family and friends are still shocked at the verdict."

He said the prosecution regarded his role as that of a caretaker, the eyes and ears for his brother.

"He had a limited role and was not an essential party to this conspiracy. There is no evidence or any previous drug trafficking or cultivation."

Mr Wells said that Taylor had made no financial benefit and was a person of previous good character.

"His role was totally out of character. Custody has had a large effect on him. He is not the sort of person who will trouble this court again."

Judge Recorder Alistair Malcolm sitting at Winchester Crown Court, said: "It is clear from paperwork this was going to be a continuous production line.

"The inevitable prison sentences will be a considerable burden on you and have a cataclysmic effect on you and your families.

To Allen Taylor he said: "By the jury's verdict you were one of the prime movers in this enterprise. You provided the premises and produced the finance to facilitate the purchase of equipment.

"You would have had a percentage of the profits from this venture. I accept you wouldn't have thought this up but you were happy to take part.

"You were motivated by greed. You took a risk and lost and you must pay the consequences."