A DRUG dealer involved in cultivating cannabis on a massive scale on an Oxfordshire farm has lost his appeal against conviction.

The Appeal Court in London heard that the factory, where police found more than 1,300 cannabis plants, had been estimated to be able to produce three harvests of skunk cannabis each year, worth between £80,000 and £106,000.

They also found 464g of amphetamines and 2.36g of heroin in a plastic bag in a toolbox at the property in Frilford, near Abingdon.

Dino Sofroniou, 23, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court in October last year of cultivation of cannabis and possession of cannabis, heroin and amphetamines with intent to supply.

Sofroniou, from Tilehurst, near Reading, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court to seven years in prison. Several co-accused were also jailed.

Mr Justice Mackay said Sofroniou denied any involvement in the cannabis factory. However, the judge said his DNA was found on the plastic bag containing heroin.

advertisement Sofroniou said he was not involved in the cultivation of cannabis, claiming that he was a friend of one of the co-accused and had only visited the farm to walk the man's dogs to pay off a debt.

He said he had never been to the unit containing cannabis, was "quite unaware" of any horticultural activity and denied any contact with the bag of heroin, claiming the DNA evidence was inconclusive.

He appealed against his conviction on two grounds, both involving alleged misdirection by the trial judge to the jury.

However, Mr Justice Mackay, sitting with Lord Justice Moore-Bick and Judge Elgan Edwards, noted that, while one of the directions was wrong, it was corrected by the trial judge in a "short, clear and comprehensive" fashion, which would not have confused the jury.

The panel said there were no grounds for complaint that the other direction rendered the conviction unsafe and dismissed the appeal.

One of Sofroniou's co-accused, David Stannard, was also unsuccessful in his appeal.

Stannard, 37, had pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis, possessing cannabis with intent to supply and handling a stolen Jaguar car.

Stannard, also from Tilehurst, was also sentenced for an offence of supplying cocaine and possessing cocaine with intent to supply, after police officers saw him hand over almost 250g of the drug in Thatcham, Berkshire.

They watched him at a house which they later raided and found another 227g of cocaine. He was jailed for eight years.

The judge said the cocaine offence was aggravated because Stannard was on bail at the time over the cannabis cultivation.

Stannard appealed against his sentence on the grounds that the judge had diverted from his 'basis of plea' when sentencing him However, the Appeal Court concluded that the judge paid "proper and due respect to the basis of plea", noting that it lacked important details, such as where Stannard received the cocaine from.