FIVE men - including one with business interests in Huddersfield - are to have their 1997 heroin smuggling convictions quashed.

The Appeal Court decision was made because Customs and Excise did not reveal information which could have been used in the men's defence.

The court also said it would "certainly not shut out" future arguments from the men's lawyers, who say the failure to disclosure the information had been deliberate.

Four of the men have already served their jail terms. The fifth was granted bail last year, pending the outcome of his appeal.

One of the men, Mr Hussain Shah, 51, owns businesses in Huddersfield.

The four separate cases relate to drug smuggling convictions connected to "controlled" deliveries to the UK from the North-West Frontier area of Pakistan, a major source of heroin.

Mr Anthony Arlidge QC, for the Crown, said he would not be resisting the men's appeals on the ground of insufficient disclosure.

Lord Justice Hooper, sitting with Mr Justice Roderick Evans and Mr Justice Pitchers, replied: "We have no doubt that you are right not to resist these appeals. We therefore will be quashing all these convictions."

Mr Mohammed Ashraf Choudhery, 60, of Couver Quay, Salford Quays, Salford, and his son, Mr Mohammed Warris Ashraf, 37, of Cenderbrook Drive, Cheadle, near Stockport, were jailed for 14 and 12 years respectively at Manchester Crown Court.

Mr Sadaat Maqsood Ahmed, 49, of Conway Road, Ealing, London, was jailed for 20 years at Harrow Crown Court.

But he was granted bail last May, pending his appeal outcome.

Mr Shah, 51, whose family lived in Bradford and who had grocery shops in the city, as well as in Huddersfield and Leeds, was jailed for four years at York Crown Court.

Mr Jameel Akhtar, 35, was jailed for 13 years at Birmingham Crown Court.