Dance Academy owner Manochehr Bahmanzadeh loses appeal

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

A Plymouth nightclub owner jailed for allowing his premises to be used for dealing drugs has lost an appeal against his conviction.

But a successful appeal against sentence meant Dance Academy boss Manochehr Bahmanzadeh, 55, walked free from the Court of Appeal in London.

Bahmanzadeh's nine year sentence was cut to seven and a half years.

He was jailed in 2008 in connection with the supply of drugs but had denied the charges.

£1m confiscated

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 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.

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