Nottingham Crown Court was told how Gary Hardy earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from renting out and selling houses across the Ashfield area.

The jury heard how Hardy –– who has two brothers, one son and two daughters –– made a profit of £271,000 after he sold seven properties between 1999 and 2006.

Hardy bought homes to rent out using a £500,000 credit facility from the NatWest Bank in Kirkby.

His property empire, which at one stage totalled 44 homes, was first created after he inherited a home on Southwell Lane following the death of his father and mortgaged his own home on Moorland Close, Skegby, and another address on Orchard Road in Kirkby.

Hardy told the court: "I had a good facility from NatWest to purchase new homes. I would buy a property and rent it out straight away. The houses were purchased cheaply.

"The properties in my portfolio were nearly always occupied and this was a very lucrative business for me."

Hardy, who has been involved in the car industry since the early 1990s, also revealed how he made thousands of pounds of profits renting out luxury sports cars, which he bought using his credit status.

In September 2006, Hardy purchased a Ferrari worth £141,000 before selling it on for a profit of around £6,000 just six weeks later.

THE CHARGES
Gary Hardy, of The Copse, Mansfield, and his brother Paul Hardy (47), of Kirkby, deny one charge of conspiracy to supply heroin, one charge of conspiracy to supply cocaine, one charge of conspiracy to supply amphetamines and four counts of conspiracy to supply cannabis between 1st January 2000 and 5th January 2007.

The brothers' mum June Muers (66), formerly of Pearl Avenue, Kirkby, also denies one charge of conspiracy to supply amphetamines and two charges of conspiracy to supply cannabis between 1st January 2003 and 5th January 2007.

Both Gary Hardy and Clipstone man Carl Busby (45), of Forest Road, also deny money laundering charges between 1st April 2003 and 4th January 2007.

Gary Hardy also denies a separate charge of having £14,000-worth of cash gained through criminal activities in his possession on 23rd May 2003.

Gary and Paul Hardy, of Willow Avenue, Kirkby, along with Muers, all deny a further charge of possessing criminal property on 4th January 2007.

Kirkby woman Zoe Chapman, of Willow Avenue –– Paul Hardy's partner –– also faces three charges of conspiracy to supply amphetamines and cannabis between 1st January 2000 and 5th January 2007.

Proceeding