A PRESTON man who ran two brothels and lured young women into prostitution by introducing them to heroin, has failed in an Appeal Court bid to overturn his convictions.

Jaswinder Singh, 47, of Brackenbury Road, was also refused leave to appeal against the 12-year prison sentence imposed on him at Preston Crown Court in February 1998.

He had admitted one count of living off the earnings of prostitutes and was convicted of another, along with rape, indecent assault, supplying heroin and procuring women for prostitution.

At London's Criminal Appeal Court, Singh's lawyers claimed his convictions were "unsafe" and his prison sentence "manifestly excessive."

But Mr Justice Sullivan ruled: "As to the grounds on which Singh would wish to argue against his convictions, we are unable to see any force in any of them. "None of the matters raised provide any basis for saying that the convictions were unsafe."

Also upholding Singh's prison sentence, the judge added: "It's plain that the sentencing judge had the principle of totality very much in mind when sentencing Singh to 12 years."

The judge, sitting with Mr Justice Silber, told the court: "It was the prosecution's case that Singh ran two brothels in Preston."

He was also accused of introducing "young vulnerable women to prostitution by supplying them with heroin."

The judge added: "The evidence against him was given by a number of complainants, a number of whom were prostitutes.

"Clearly one of the issues of critical importance at the trial was the extent to which the complainants' evidence could be relied upon.

"Singh has a deplorable record which it is unnecessary to particularise."

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