London UK – In a recent development, the Court of Appeal has intervened to increase the sentence of Joshua Poulton (28), a drug dealer from Solihull, who sold cocaine worth nearly half-a-million pounds and fled the country to evade arrest.
Poulton’s initial 12-and-a-half-year sentence was elevated to 15 years and three months following a referral by the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, who deemed the original conviction as unduly lenient.
The court heard that Poulton assumed a leading role in a drug operation after a relative’s imprisonment. Employing two couriers, he orchestrated the sale of at least 35kg of cocaine, amounting to £470,000, over a seven-week period between October and November 2021. These illicit transactions were traced to various organised crime groups.
When Poulton became aware of the impending arrest, he fled to multiple locations, including the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Portugal, and the United States. Subsequently, he was apprehended in Spain and extradited to the UK in December 2022 to face charges.
Speaking on the case, Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP emphasised the severe impact of illegal drugs on communities, stating, “The offender was selling vast quantities of class A drugs, and I did not believe his sentence reflected the severity of his crimes. Thankfully, the court agreed, and in increasing his sentence, I hope this sends a warning to drug dealers that we will use all our powers to put a stop to your criminal enterprises.”
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