Mari Van Gerwen attempted to sneak 50 kilos of the Class A drug past border guards to fund his daughter’s glittering career.

The 52-year-old, who has his own stables and training centre, insisted he had been forced to smuggle the drugs.

But a jury at Canterbury Crown Court dismissed his claims.

International showjumper Jody Van Gerwen, 27, who has attended court every day during her father’s trial, wept as he was jailed.

The court heard on Wednesday how Van Gerwen had arrived at the freight lanes at Dover Eastern Docks in July last year with two horses in a horsebox.

After being quizzed by Border Force officials, he said the horses were not for jumping or racing and he was heading to Bracknell with €5,000 in his pockets.

But the court heard how officers became suspicious and began searching a special compartment, where they discovered 50 kilos of the Class A drug.

Dutchman Van Gerwen denied all knowledge of the drugs and claimed the purpose of his journey was to deliver the horses to a female associate in Bracknell.

Following his arrest in Dover, Dutch police raided his home in Limbricht, Netherlands, and seized €270,000 in cash.

Judge Rupert Lowe told Van Gerwen he had used his horse business as a cover for the smuggling operation and expected to get substantial sums of money.

Judge Lowe said: "I accept you run a legitimate horse trading business and you spend a good deal of your time running a riding school and assisting his daughter's career.

"You were convicted by a jury in a very short space of time of importing 50 kilos of cocaine.

"I am confident that you were not the boss of this enterprise but a courier and you got involved in order to make money.

"This trial took place against a background of the very successful career of your daughter Jody as an international showjumper.

"That is an extremely expensive occupation, notwithstanding the sponsorship and prize money and the returns of the rising school and horse-trading business.

"I am confident that at least part of your motivation of you becoming involved was to further the cause of her very expensive career at the highest level."

Ms Van Gerwen, who gave evidence for the defence, heard the judge tell her she was an innocent victim of her father's drug dealing.

The judge added: "I don't imagine for a moment that he let her know what he was doing.

"She has been an innocent victim and she will suffer for this."

Van Gerwen had faced a similar charge at Reading Crown Court 18 months ago, but was acquitted by a jury.

Thames Valley Police confiscated £236,000 from him despite being cleared after he failed to explain where the money had come from.

After the hearing this week, senior investigating officer at the National Crime Agency, Darren Herbert, said: "The organised criminals involved in the distribution of cocaine are often also linked to violence and exploitation.

"They rely heavily on smugglers like Van Gerwen, so his was a key role in a longer, damaging chain.

"We work closely with partners overseas and our Border Force colleagues to target those who seek to undermine the security of the UK border, and bring them to justice."

Paul Morgan, Director of Border Force South East and Europe, added: "Working alongside the NCA, Border Force officers were able to stop a significant amount of illegal drugs from reaching the streets of the UK, where they would have caused significant harm to vulnerable individuals and wider communities.

"This was a sophisticated concealment and demonstrates that Border Force officers and our law enforcement partners need to remain vigilant at all times to prevent illegal importations through the border."