A THURROCK man jailed after undercover cops smashed a drugs ring operating out of a fish and chip shop has had his jail term cut on appeal by top judges.

Ercan Irki, 36, of Brooksbourne Drive, South Ockendon, worked in the fish bar, in north London, knowing that dealers were regularly supplying cocaine and cannabis to customers from the premises, and allowing it to happen.

Irki, who was involved in supplying cocaine to an undercover officer himself on one occasion, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine at Wood Green Crown Court and was jailed for three and a half years on June 14 this year.

Mr Justice Underhill, sitting with Mr Justice Griffith Williams at London's Criminal Appeal Court, cut a year off that sentence, after ruling that the original term had been too harsh for his limited role in the drug dealing.

The court heard that undercover police disguised as drug users were supplied with cocaine or cannabis "on an almost daily basis" during last November by two drug dealers operating out of the chip shop.

On one occasion, Irki gave cocaine to one of the men, which he then passed on to the undercover officer. He was also aware of the criminal activity taking place and did nothing to stop it.

Irki's lawyers argued today that he had not been given enough credit for his guilty plea.

Mr Justice Underhill rejected that submission saying: "We don't consider that there is any substance in the ground that insufficient credit was given for the plea."

Quoting from the sentencing judge, Mr Justice Underhill went on: "Your co-accused supplied drugs to undercover police on an almost daily basis over the course of a month.

"But there is no evidence of any part played by you, except on one occasion, when you supplied cocaine to one of your co-accused who then passed it on, but you knew what was going on."

However, Mr Justice Underhill cut the sentence in the end, saying: "Even so we are of the view that the sentence was manifestly excessive.

"There was the one supply of a small quantity of cocaine and the appellant fell to be sentenced on that basis.

"We therefore quash the sentence of three and a half years and replace it with one of two and a half years."