Trafficker wins prison term appeal

A REPEAT drugs trafficker who played a "significant role" in an organised crime gang had his jail sentence cut by almost a third by appeal judges.

Mark Richardson was jailed for ten years last year after police found him in a makeshift crack cocaine factory.

Police recovered cocaine worth 700,000 on the streets as they caught Richardson.

Yesterday he challenged the length of his jail term and judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh reduced his prison sentence to six years and nine months.

Lady Paton, sitting with Lord Clarke, said they accepted a submission by Richardson's defence that too much may have been read into the phrase "significant role" in the original proceedings. Lady Paton said that the fact Richardson was arrested preparing the drugs and was found to have no significant assets was indicative of his role in the supply chain.