THE families of five men sentenced to 104 years in prison for importing drugs to the Isle of Wight said they have been 'betrayed' by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The commission has turned down their bid to appeal against the convictions, despite the emergence of fresh evidence.

The 'Freshwater Five,' three of whom come from the Island, were convicted of conspiracy to import 255kg of cocaine worth £53million in 2011 and have spent six years in jail.

Jamie Green and fellow Islander Jonathan Beere, who was not a member of the crew and not on board the boat at the time, were each jailed for 24 years.

Another Island man, Daniel Payne, received an 18-year sentence. Two other men, Scott Birtwistle and Zoran Drecic were also convicted.

A trial heard they picked up 12 rucksacks containing cocaine in a Force 8 gale in the middle of the English Channel after their fishing boat, the Galwad-y-Mor, crossed the wake of a Brazilian container, before dumping the drugs overboard off Freshwater Bay for someone else to collect.

The CCRC has the power to refer possible miscarriages of justice to the Court of Appeal but has decided to take no action, even though a leading marine GPS expert concluded the closest the paths of the boats came to each other was 175 metres.

Beere's wife, Sue Beere, said: "There is just a sense of disbelief, I cannot believe the CCRC has not taken into account this new evidence."

The CCRC said it did not consider the new analysis would make a difference.

But defence solicitor Emily Bolton said: "The families of the prisoners feel once again betrayed by the system and that it is taking so long to right this wrong.

"The decision is baffling and perverse. It seems like the CCRC no longer has either the resources, or the independence, to effectively investigate miscarriages of justice."

Green's sister, Nicky Green, spoke about the toll the last six years had taken on the family. She said: "We don't think the CCRC has looked at our expert evidence properly.

"They have not taken on board what has been presented to them in any way and have a lack of understanding of what we have put in front of them."

The application to the commission was launched in Green's name, but Ms Bolton said the defence was exploring a direct approach to the Court of Appeal on behalf of Beere.