A MAN who was jailed for 14 years for his part in a multi million pound drugs scam has had his sentence reduced by the Court of Appeal.

Christian Wolfendale, aged 36, of Cross Lane, Radcliffe, had admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, but his term was cut to 12 years on grounds that insufficient credit had been given for his guilty plea and relatively minor role in the scheme.

Gerald McLeish, aged 45, of Clifton Close, Heywood, described as a bullion merchant who became the "leading light" in the operation which flooded the north west of England with amphetamine and crack cocaine also had his sentence slashed.

After an Appeal Court hearing, Mr Justice Poole dismissed Mc Leish's conviction challenge saying he was the "managing director" in the £26 million conspiracy.

But he reduced his 24-year jail term by two years.

The judge - sitting with Lord Justice Rix and Judge Fabyan Evans QC - heard that McLeish, was jailed at Bolton Crown Court in April last year after a jury convicted him of conspiring to supply drugs. Six others were also charged and sentenced for their roles in the plot.

McLeish and the rest of the gang were prosecuted following a police surveillance operation in April 2001, culminating in a raid on a Manchester industrial unit which netted a massive assortment of cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis.

Police seized a total of £1million worth of narcotics on that date, but detectives believe it was "only a part of the stock in trade of this multi-million pound drug dealing conspiracy".