Man who supplied guns and ammo to major drugs gang has jail-term cut
A Wolverhampton man who arranged the transfer of guns to a drugs kingpin has had his jail term slashed on appeal.
Sunny Singh Dhatt, 27, of Whittaker Street, was jailed for 18 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November last year.
Branded a danger to the public, he was also ordered to serve an extra five years on licence after his release.
He was convicted of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited firearms and ammunition.
The convictions related to blank-firing handguns which were made in Italy, imported into the UK and then converted into firearms.
Dhatt sourced two 9mm pistols with a dozen rounds of ammunition and a loaded Smith and Wesson revolver for Khalad Uddin, the go between connecting West Midland drug dealers to Albanian gangsters importing cocaine into the country.
Uddin was described as 'the national co-ordinator, facilitator and link' to an elaborate narcotic network that focused on Kingswinford and spanned the Black Country, Oxford, London and Bristol.
Dhatt arranged for the transfer of the handguns and ammo in a Kingswinford supermarket car park in August last year.
The former Wolverhampton College pupil admitted conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and ammunition, along with driving while disqualified.
This related to driving a stolen Range Rover and possession of the revolver that police found in October last year.
Dhatt had 22 previous convictions for 43 crimes, including possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The judge who jailed Dhatt ruled him ‘dangerous’ and imposed an extended sentence.
But his lawyers argued that his punishment was far too tough and should be reduced.
“We are persuaded that the judge’s original determinate sentence of 18 years for Dhatt was too high,” said Mrs Justice Whipple.
And imposing an extended sentence was ‘unlawful’ for the offences he had committed, she added.
The appeal judge, who was sitting with two others, reduced Dhatt’s jail term to 16 years and overturned the extended licence period.
The ruling also means Dhatt is likely to serve half, rather than two-thirds, of his jail term before qualifying for automatic release.
