Ex-Plymouth nightclub boss Manochehr Bahmanzadeh bailed pending appeal

Following an undercover police operation, 140 officers raided the Dance Academy in Union Street in 2006

A former Plymouth nightclub owner who was jailed for allowing drug dealing on his premises has been released on bail, pending an appeal.

Manochehr Bahmanzadeh, 55, was sentenced to nine years in 2008 in connection with the supply of drugs at the Dance Academy in Union Street.

His case has been referred to the Court of Appeal for review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

He has been bailed to live at an address in Brighton.

Bahmanzadeh was jailed after undercover police began monitoring the club in December 2005, eventually sending in 140 officers in riot gear to raid the premises in May 2006.

A total of 16 drug dealers were later prosecuted and jailed for their activities at the club.

Bahmanzadeh denied the charges, claiming he did everything he could to deter drug dealing at the club.

He claimed he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice, but a previous appeal in 2008 failed.

His latest appeal revolved around new evidence which was said to cast doubt on the reliability of a key prosecution witness, the bail hearing at the Court of Appeal on London was told.

No date has been set for the appeal, but it is expected to take place at the end of the year and last three days.

The court was told also told Bahmanzadeh was made the subject of a £1m confiscation order in 2010 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which had been "paid in full".