THREE people involved in a family-run drugs business have been locked up - one indefinitely for what a judge described as a "terrible" unconnected assault.

Peter Marron, 20, was given an indeterminate jail sentence for the protection of the public for attacking with a meat cleaver a man who earlier threw him out of a party.

His 41-year-old mother Janet Marron was locked up for two-and-a-half years for drugs offences and her partner, Babar Khan, also 41, was jailed for five years.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Khan was the "prime mover" in the sale of heroin and crack cocaine in Middlesbrough between October 2005 and February last year.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson said undercover police officers bought drugs from Khan in the street and from the home in Fife Street he shared with Marron.

On several occasions when the officers visited, Marron either supplied drugs as well or was seen to be cutting up foil to package deals of heroin or cocaine.

Peter Marron completed a deal with one test purchase officer on March 1 just minutes after an unsuspecting uniformed officer had stopped his undercover colleague in the street.

All three admitted a charge of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, while Khan also possessing heroin on December 1 and supplying crack cocaine on November 1.

Janet Marron also admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and her son pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Mrs Milton told the court that Peter Marron had been kicked out of a house party on June 24 last year after he intervened in a fight and was chased away by armed revellers.

Marron and two pals are said to have gone home and armed themselves with a meat cleaver and weightlifting bar before returning and kicking their way in.

Christopher Robinson, who was chased from the house before being felled and attacked with the weapons, suffered two nasty slashes to his head and was lucky to survive, the court heard.

Chris Baker, mitigating, described Khan as a chronic crack and heroin user who sold drugs to pay for his addiction.

Warren Grier, for Janet Marron, said her misuse of alcohol and illegal substances had blighted her life.

Jonathan Walker, for Peter Marron, of St Barnabas Road, Middlesbrough, added: "In essence, it was a family business and he is a very junior member of the family who became involved for a very limited time."