A drug dealer who supplied the fatal dose of morphine which killed his 17-year-old fiancée has failed in a bid to have his jail sentence cut.

Jack Alderton's actions in supplying illegally-obtained Class A drug resulted in him being given an eight year prison term earlier this year.

A judge said there was "no moral difference" between the offences he committed and manslaughter, as an appeal to have his sentence reduced was rejected today.

Alderton, of Harwood Road, Marlow, was convicted of supplying Class A drugs by a Reading Crown Court jury, having previously pleaded guilty to five other drug-related offences.

The court heard his girlfriend Georgina Boxall died after taking a lethal overdose of morphine supplied by 26-year-old Alderton at a friend's house in Crowthorne, Berkshire, in March 2013.

He claimed today at London's Court of Appeal that the sentence imposed on him was too long - but it was rejected by three senior judges.

Alderton's barrister Franco Tizzano said: "This was a tragic case, but it wasn't a case where the appellant was charged with manslaughter."

But Lord Justice Laws responded: "Is there any moral difference? This woman died as a result of his having supplied her unlawfully with drugs."

The appeal was rejected by Mr Justice Lewis, sitting with Lord Justice Laws and Mr Justice Openshaw, said the sentence was appropriate for Alderton's criminal activity.

He said: "We are satisfied that the sentence isn't manifestly excessive, given the totality of the offences.

"We have no doubt that the sentence of eight years in total for all the offences was justified."

During the trial it emerged Alderton had supplied Miss Boxall with drugs over the two years prior to her death and he had twice been served with child abduction notices by police forcing him to stay away from her.

The court also heard Alderton had established an online business to receive and distribute drugs, which had been in operation for four months before Miss Boxall's death.