Appeal judges reduced crime boss Jamie “Iceman” Stevenson’s prison sentence by nearly four years, ruling that his original 20-year sentence was excessive. Stevenson, 59, was convicted of smuggling £76 million worth of high-purity cocaine into the UK and running a street valium factory capable of producing 250,000 tablets per hour. Originally sentenced to 12 years for drug smuggling and eight years for the valium operation, the sentences were ordered to run consecutively by Lord Ericht, who viewed them as separate crimes.

However, Stevenson’s lawyer argued that both offences were part of the same criminal operation and that he should have received credit for pleading guilty. Appeal judges Lord Doherty and Lord Matthews agreed, reducing his sentence to 16 years and three months. Stevenson, appearing via video link, smiled and gave a thumbs-up as the revised sentence was announced.