DRUGS dealer Terry Peterson fled the country seven years ago because of threats to his family in Weymouth if he gave evidence in court, a judge was told.

The fugitive, who returned last month after a dramatic phone call from Thailand to a Dorset police chief saying he wanted to give himself up, claimed the threats were the reason he broke bail before a trial on drug trafficking charges.

Stephen Cotton, representing Peterson, said at Dorchester Crown Court that his client considered the risk had eased and decided to return to Dorset.

But Peterson - now serving the nine-year prison sentence imposed in his absence in July 1999 - had an extra six months jail imposed for breaching his bail.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark told him the fresh sentence must run consecutively.

Peterson, 49, will return to court next year to face confiscation penalties for drug trafficking offences.

Prosecutor David Richards said Peterson fled to Cambodia at Easter 1999. The trial carried on in his absence and he was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Mr Cotton said Peterson claimed to have compelling reasons for leaving.

He said: "There were threats made both to his mother, who was living in Queensland Road in Weymouth, and to Mr Peterson's then wife and children.

"There were threats being made to the property of the wife and mother and also threats of serious bodily harm to them."

He added: "He says the threats were made and he believed them. He went to Asia because the threats were clear - If you give evidence your family will suffer'."

Mr Cotton said Peterson now considered those risks had subsided.

The judge drew a comparison with train robber Ronnie Biggs, who escaped from prison and went to South America.

He asked: "Is this a Ronnie Biggs situation where, after many years away, he decided to come back and face the music?"

Mr Cotton said: "The reason for his return to this country is not anything to do with conscience or money. It is because he considers the threat previously made is now at a level to allow him to return.

"He does not perceive it putting his family at risk."

Sentencing Peterson for the breach of bail, the judge said: "In April 1999 you were facing a trial on very serious drug trafficking allegations and you skipped bail and went to south east Asia.

"I am prepared to accept that you felt you were under considerable threat and particularly threats with regard to your giving evidence in your own defence and so it was that you fled the country.

"The slight difficulty is that it has taken you seven years from the end of your trial for you to decide to come back to this country.

"You came back at a time when it suited you."

He added: "In my view this is a serious contempt of court."

The judge ordered that preparation for confiscation proceedings must be completed within 56 days and Peterson will return to court at a date to be fixed.

Peterson had appealed in his absence against his conviction but was not successful.

His trial followed his arrest in 1996 during a police raid in which five people were arrested and £140,000 of Ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamines were seized.

Peterson joined the Foreign Legion in 1979 under the name of Terry Nutman but deserted three years later. He was arrested when he went on a day trip to France from Weymouth in 1985.

He was featured on BBC's Crimewatch in 2002, sparking several new leads including reported sightings in Thailand.

It was from Thailand that Peterson turned himself in by going to the British Embassy in Bangkok and calling Superintendent Colin Stanger to say he wanted to come back.

Supt Stanger, who worked on the original investigation into Peterson's activities, led a team of Dorset officers who travelled to Heathrow to detain the fugitive when his plane landed.