A notorious fake vet who continued illegally dealing in illicit animal medicines after his release from prison for an identical scam has been jailed for twelve months.
Leonard 'Ginger' French, 73, of Tall Trees, Station Road, Langworth, Lincolnshire - who has changed his name by deed poll to Lee Wilson - unlawfully distributed at least £50,000 worth of the smuggled drugs.
"You are such a persistent breaker of the law I have no option, but to impose an immediate custodial sentence," Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley told him.
French pleaded guilty to six charges of unlawfully importing unauthorised veterinary medicines; six counts of supplying them and four counts of possessing them on various dates between July 16 2008 and February 22 this year.
He was prosecuted by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) after he was linked to a French-based £6m veterinary medicine scam - Europe's biggest-ever.
That was run by disgraced Ronald Meddes, 73, and Regine Lansley, 62, who French acted as a UK agent for - collecting a 10% commission - as well as selling black market veterinary medicines he bought from them in his own right.
"You were an important cog in the Meddes machine, an important and persistent agent," Judge Ainley told him.
"The fact you were sent to prison does not appear to have stopped you pursuing this illegal trade as soon as you left, knowing the Meddes empire was criminal."
Four years ago French was jailed after a BBC undercover reporter proved he was illegally treating pets and administering illegal drugs - pocketing £170,000 from dog owners, companies and hunts.
He continued illegally supplying while on bail for those offences and after his release from a twelve month sentence - describing the drugs as 'sweets' in e-mails with Meddes.
French sold to farms, stables, kennels, hunts, shoots and veterinary practices and the medicines supplied included anti-inflammatories, anabolic steroids, tranquillisers, antibiotics, sedatives, painkillers and other miscellaneous products administered to horses, household pets and farm animals.
He was also well-known for selling out of the boot of his car at horse fairs around the country.
He was arrested for possessing illegal medicines in May, 2009 and February, this year - when he kicked the arresting police officer in the groin.
French's lawyer Mr. Ravi Dogra told the court: "He continues to see little wrong in his behaviour despite the convictions. He says he has given his life to animals and will never stop doing that.
"There does not appear to be any evidence of harm, but there is a risk in the unregulated way he was selling these products.
"They were not counterfeit, but manufactured by companies with a positive reputation."
French, who staggered around the dock on a pair of crutches throughout the fifty-minute hearing told DEFRA investigators after he was sentenced: "You bastards. I hope you die of cancer."
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