Two Wanstead men sentenced to four years imprisonment in Dubai after being convicted of drug offences have lost an appeal.

Grant Cameron of Harpenden Road and Karl Williams of Herongate Road, along with Suneet Jeerh from Ilford, were jailed in April.

The three 25-year-olds were arrested after a quantity of the synthetic drug ‘spice’ was found in their hire car while they were holidaying in Dubai last July.

They say they were tortured by police and made to sign documents they did not understand.

Human rights charity Reprieve said the men had tried to get their convictions quashed but judges were not convinced by their arguments and upheld their sentences.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) previously said it will "investigate" the case following diplomatic pressure from the UK government, although no progress appears to have been made in the probe.

Both Reprieve and Wanstead MP John Cryer have called for the men to be released.

Mr Cryer said the case against the men "was riddled with inconsistencies and doubts" while Reprieve said police had  denied one of their investigators and a lawyer access to the men's jail.

During their trial, Mr Williams claimed he was beaten in a hotel room and electrocuted.

He wrote in a witness statement: "I remember that the police put a towel on my face so I could not see. They kept telling me I was going to die. I was so scared.

"Once I had been knocked to the ground, the police picked me up and put me on the bed. They pulled down my trousers, spread my legs and started to electrocute my testicles. It was unbelievably painful. I was so scared."

The Guardian is awaiting a comment from Reprieve.