THE dramatic three-hour siege at Stephen Hawken's exclusive Derriford property ended with the drug dealer fighting for his life in hospital.

After a tense stand-off with armed police Hawken took to the roof of his five-bedroom house before finally being shot with a baton round and Taser gun.

The 46-year-old jumped from the roof, ending up lying in Derriford Hospital on a life support machine with more than ten broken bones.

The wet and grey morning of November 13 last year saw dozens of police gather en masse at a Derriford location, waiting for the signal to swoop on the Delgany Drive residence.

A police helicopter circled overhead while the busy Tavistock Road was shut to traffic as officers made their move.

Armed police positioned themselves in trees, dog handlers stalked the area and paramedics and firefighters were on standby across the street.

Loud bangs pierced the air and smoke billowed from the roof of Hawken's house as a number of commercial fireworks were set off into the roof space from inside.

Hawken appeared on the roof, disappeared and then returned, with the armed officers trying to talk him into coming down.

Wielding a blowtorch, he hurled down slates and smashed tiles against his own head before finally throwing himself to the ground.

He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, where he remained – under police guard – for more than a month.

Hawken was put on a life-support machine at Derriford Hospital, suffering from a whole host of injuries.

He broke nine ribs in the fall, as well as his collarbone.

Pins had to be inserted into his injured right leg during an operation.

He has also been left with a permanent problem in his right eye, preventing him from opening it fully.

Hawken recovered enough to stand in the dock as he was sentenced to 11 years at Plymouth Crown Court yesterday – but the scars of the siege will stay with him forever.