Dinnington drugs pair lose appeal

Damien Fletcher, 29, and Lee Tongue, 43, both of Dinnington, were snared as part of a major police investigation into the supply of high purity cocaine.

Fletcher was jailed for 10 years after he was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and Tongue, for that offence and a plot to supply cannabis, for 12 years.

Today (Thursday), three senior judges sitting at the Court of Appeal in London rejected the drug-dealing pair’s bids for a reduction in the sentences, passed at Sheffield Crown Court last May.

The case involved the purchase of kilos of high purity cocaine, which was brought to South Yorkshire from other cities for dilution and onward sale.

Police used mobile phone signal tracking experts and covert recording to stamp down on the plot.

Tongue, of Burns Road, and Fletcher, of Wordsworth Avenue, appealed arguing that their sentences were too long, but had their cases rejected.

Lord Justice Elias, Mr Justice Wilkie and Judge Michael Pert QC said there was nothing wrong with 10 and 12 years for the serious drug crimes.