Mitcham and Morden’s MP has written a character reference for one of the bosses of a £63m skunk smuggling network.

Peter Moran is facing a lengthy prison sentence after admitting his part in Britain's largest ever cannabis ring.

He and two other bosses met in a Wimbledon cafe at least once as they plotted their drugs empire, which police believe cornered the market in skunk cannabis in south west London and north Surrey until arrests in November 2008.

On Tuesday at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh - who is Moran’s second cousin - had sent a note to Southwark Crown Court outlining how the criminal cared for his mentally ill sister.

The note, which was handed to Judge Gregory Stone QC from defence counsel Peter Griffiths QC, referred to Moran's sister's "significant" mental health problems after the death of the siblings’ father in 2000 and then their mother six months later.

Ms McDonagh later said she had not known Moran was involved with a drug gang, but after a request from her family she had written a letter that outlined the care he had given his sister since the death of their parents.

Mr Griffiths said Moran, 37, from Fulham, had looked after his sister and her two children since her problems although she had recovered now.

Moran was one of the bosses of the network alongside Terrence Bowler, 40, of Kingston, and Mark Kinnimont, 40, of Surbiton.

All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import controlled drugs and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime.

Nine others were convicted of similar offences.

The gang is thought to have brought at least 88 shipments of drugs into Britain from Holland over a two-year period before their arrest.