A drug dealer's mother and brother have also appeared in court - for hurling abuse at the man who prosecuted him.

Relatives of Ashli Taylor, 27, had visited Carlisle Crown Court to see him being sentenced for 10 drugs offences.

But Taylor's mum, Sheena, 53, and 25-year-old brother, Jimmie, found themselves in hot water before the hearing had even started.

A complaint about their conduct was made by prosecutor Gerard Rogerson.

Cumbria's most senior judge has now punished them - and issued a zero-tolerance warning against those who abuse legal officials.

Mr Rogerson reported he had been verbally abused by the pair in the corridor while heading to the courtroom for Taylor's case.

Upon learning this - and before sentencing Taylor - Judge Peter Davies ordered his mother and brother to appear in the dock.

Both admitted the comments attributed to them were correct - and they were held in contempt of court.

They were immediately escorted from the crown court building by security staff, and were absent as Taylor, of Casson Road, Workington, received a six-and-a-half-year jail term.

Sheena Taylor and Jimmie Taylor later appeared before Judge Davies.

Lawyer Fiona Turner represented the pair and told the court they wanted to apologise to Mr Rogerson.

"They were embarrassed by their behaviour and shouldn't have behaved in this way. The situation got the better of them," she said.

Those apologies were accepted by Mr Rogerson.

Judge Davies fined the pair £100 each, saying he would not accept such conduct from members of the public.

He said: "Once they think they can abuse people in court, the whole system falls apart.

"That kind of thing will not be tolerated."

Judge Davies also announced in court on Friday that had decided to amend Taylor's prison term, reducing it by six months to six years.