A ‘DEALER in death’ gun baron has been ordered to hand over more than �650,000 in “hidden assets” or face more time in prison.

Paul Alexander and his family ran a racket supplying arms and ammunition to the criminal underworld around the country from a remote house in Bardfield Saling, where cannabis was also grown.

Alexander, 54, of Bath, who was jailed indefinitely at a previous hearing, benefited by �650,578.99 Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

Now though he has been ordered to hand that money over from “hidden assets” or go to jail for four more years, a judge ruled.

Alexander’s wife Caroline Hunter-Mann-Purdy, 60, who lived with him at Sydney Place, Bath, obtained �228,169.95. However, she was only ordered to pay �17,000.

Her daughters, Jasmin Purdy, 21, of Witham and Rachel Hunter-Mann, 39, also of Sydney Place, Bath, had received about �20,000 between them and were ordered to pay a nominal �1 each.

Under an agreed Proceeds of Crime Order at Chelmsford Crown Court Judge Charles Gratwicke announced the decisions after a day of discussions between parties.

Links to guns provided by Alexander, who was previously in the Royal Artillery, were found in shootings in Merseyside, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Luton the court was told at the original hearing.

The offences came to light after a police raid on the 17th century property in Plums Lane, Bardfield Saling, being used by Alexander in the summer of 2008,

Alexander had pleaded guilty at the court in 2009 to possessing firearms and ammunition “so as to enable another person or persons to endanger life”, possessing prohibited ammunition, hollow point rounds of ammunition, conspiring to cultivate cannabis and acquiring criminal property.

He received a minimum seven-year term when sentenced on November 6, 2009, while his wife was given a two-year supervision order with mental health treatment for money laundering, which she admitted.

During the raid police found a gun and cannabis production. Alexander was supplying guns and ammunition to criminals around the country over a lengthy period in a sophisticated enterprise.

Purdy, of 50 Mortimer Way, Witham, admitted conspiring to cultivate cannabis and was given a 12-month jail term but had already served the equivalent of 14 months.

Rachel Hunter-Mann, 39, of Sydney Place, Bath, admitted money laundering, and was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.