James William Darling, of Middle Street, Spittal; Stuart Robert Weatherstone, of Eastcliffe, Spittal, and Martin David Punton, of Seaview, Highfields, were all caught red-handed after selling the class A drugs to undercover police officers.

The officers infiltrated the town's drug circuit as part of a year-long undercover operation during 2008, named Operation Blowtorch, posing as traders with clothes to sell.

At Newcastle Crown Court Darling, 40, admitted supplying heroin and possessing cannabis and was sentenced to a total of five years behind bars.

Weatherstone, 34, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and possessing cannabis and was jailed for a total of four- and-a-half years.

Punton, also 34, was jailed for a total of five years after admitting two counts of supplying heroin at the same court hearing.

After hearing legal argument at London's Criminal Appeal Court today, Lord Justice Pill, sitting with Mr Justice Burnett and Judge Julian Hall, ruled all three should have their sentences reduced because they were not given enough credit for owning up to their crimes.

The court was told that all three had numerous previous convictions and that Darling had previously been convicted of 11 drugs-related offences.
Weatherstone, the court heard, had mainly been convicted of offences of dishonesty, but also had four convictions for drug offences.

Punton, meanwhile, had never been sentenced to a term of imprisonment before, but had two previous convictions for possessing heroin with intent to supply, among other offences.

Lord Justice Pill said the police officers' work on the operation was "very dangerous", exposing them to the risk of having their cover blown.

He said the three men were part of of a larger group of people who had all been involved in the drugs trade, but that these three were all at the bottom of the scale. "The trade of the street trader is a vital one," he said, adding that their role was an "indispensable part of this unlawful and malicious supply".

Nevertheless, the court gave each of the trio a year off their jail terms, cutting Darling's sentence to four years, Weatherstone's to three and a half years, and Punton's to four years.

In response to the cut in sentences, acting Chief Superintendent Allan Brown, of Northumbria Police's Northumberland Area Command, said: "There is a facility open to individuals which allows them to appeal against their sentence if they feel that sentence is too severe.#

"This has been the case on this occasion and the court has made a decision to reduce these sentences.

"This is a right given to all individuals within the criminal justice system."