Swansea,South Wales - Former Swansea City footballer who turned to gambling and drugs crime has his sentence upheld

• Charlie Hartfield, formerly of Swansea City.

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A FORMER Swansea City footballer who turned to gambling and crime after his career unravelled had his sentence for drug trafficking on a massive scale backed by top judges today.

Charlie Hartfield was once on Arsenal's books before going on to play for Sheffield United and Swansea City before injury wrecked his career.

His lawyers said he liked being "part of a team", missing the camaraderie of the football field, and that was what led him into the drugs world.

Hartfield was jailed for nine years and one month after admitting conspiracy to supply amphetamine and cannabis.

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He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in March last year alongside five others.

The gang plotted to smuggle a 265 kilo consignment of amphetamine sulphate into the UK from France.

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But their plans went awry after the man recruited to sail back with the drugs "got cold feet".

Later, Hartfield and others also plotted to bring in several kilos of prime herbal cannabis - stashed inside batches of "fragrant pot pourri".

Hartfield, of Kemnal Road, Chislehurst, Kent, was sucked into drug dealing after he took up as a painter and decorator after his footballing career ended.

For a time, his life spiralled downwards as he developed a consuming gambling habit, but London's Appeal Court heard he had tackled those demons.

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But he became a "trusted" figure among his drug dealer accomplices.

Hartfield, 44, challenged his sentence with claims that the total punishment was far too tough.

Lord Justice McCombe, sitting with Judge Sarah Munro QC and Mr Justice Irwin, referred to Hartfield's previous good character and past sporting excellence.

But he told the court: "His mitigation wasn't exceptional".

Hartfield had "embarked on these conspiracies quite readily", said the judge, who concluded that his sentence was "not manifestly excessive".

Hartfield scored twice in 22 appearances for Swansea City from 1997-2001.

Swansea City

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