A MANHUNT is continuing for a drug dealer who has had his 'lenient' sentence increased on appeal.

O’neil Pendley - a drug dealer who was operating inside Fort Royal Park in Worcester - remains at large as city officers urged him to hand himself in.

Meanwhile, they say they continue their work to make the city a 'no go area' for dealers.

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He was supposed to hand himself in by Sunday, February 19 - but more than a week on he has yet to do so.

DC Jason Atkins said: "We have the West Midlands Police actively out looking for him but he has not been located as of yet."

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Pendley was jailed for two years and 10 months for dealing drugs in Worcester but walked free the same day because of time spent on remand.

His co-defendant was found in possession of 62 wraps of heroin and 111 wraps of crack cocaine (street value £1,730).

This month Pendley is facing longer behind bars after this original sentence last December was deemed too lenient by an appeal judge in London.

Officers from South Worcestershire Proactive CID raised concerns about the leniency of the sentence at Worcester Crown Court - on Friday, February 17 these concerns were upheld on appeal in London.

Pendley had been involved in dealing drugs in Fort Royal Park in Worcester. 

We reported last December how Pendley, 29, of Capstone Avenue, Birmingham, was charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine).

However, he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of those drugs.

On Friday, October 18, 2019, Pendley was stopped for the purpose of a search in Fort Royal Park, Worcester by plain clothes detectives from the South Worcestershire Proactive CID County Lines Team following an interaction with a known drug user.

Pendley had two previous class A drug supply convictions and committed this offence while on licence.

West Mercia Police appealed the sentence because he was a third-strike drug dealer which ordinarily attracts a minimum seven-year sentence.

On Friday, Feb 17, DC Jason Atkins, the officer in case, attended the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where the case was heard.

DC Atkins said: "The original sentencing was found to be unduly lenient and he was re-sentenced to 75 Months (6 yrs 3 months).

"As he was not in custody and did not attend, he was given until 4pm on February 19 to hand himself into Perry Barr custody block and be taken to prison to serve the rest of his sentence."

However, he did not hand himself in. A warrant for his arrest has now been issued.

DC Atkins said: "It was a great result to the appeal and shows that not only will we continue to target drug dealers but will continue to pursue them if we feel that the sentencing is not sufficient for the offences being committed.

"The team is committed to making Worcester a ‘no go’ area for drug dealers and will use every power available to us to achieve this, including appealing sentences that are too lenient."

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