TWO men involved in a £1.25 million smuggling operation in which contraband cigarettes were hidden in a cargo of Christmas baubles have failed to win cuts in their jail terms.

Robert Quelch, 53, and John Eaton, 49, helped drive the consignment of 8.2 million Chinese cigarettes from a Southampton container store but were tailed by Customs to premises near Reading.

Quelch, of Broad Street, Swindon, pleaded guilty to involvement in evading excise duty and harbouring contraband goods with intent and was jailed for four years at Reading Crown Court in February last year.

Eaton, of Bath Road, Reading, got six years after being convicted of involvement in evading excise duty. Lawyers for both challenged the length of their sentences at London's Appeal Court.

Quelch claimed the trial judge unfairly sentenced him on the basis that he had played a leading role.

But Mr Justice Field said the Crown Court judge was "entitled to come to different conclusions to that which the Crown reached as to Quelch's level of involvement".

The appeal judge, sitting with Lord Justice Kay, said no injustice had been done to Quelch as both men's level of participation had been justifiably viewed as the same.

He concluded: "The judge heard all the evidence; she was well entitled to come to the view that she did."

Mr Justice Field also dismissed Eaton's application for permission to appeal sentence commenting: "We can see no basis for interfering with the six-year sentence passed."