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Sentence almost doubled

A drug dealer who was jailed for 18 months has had his sentence almost doubled at appeal.

Richard Sean Taylor of Port Erin admitted importing, supplying and possessing ecstasy with intent to supply and was jailed in January by Deemster Doyle.

But the Attorney General appealed against the sentence saying it was too lenient.

The court heard 21 year old Taylor was caught with 84 tablets in 2007 and admitted he had given some away at parties as well as selling some for five times the value he had bought them for.

The Attorney General’s office claimed Deemster Doyle should have taken a four year sentence as a starting point before considering mitigating and aggravating factors.

The appeal judges said they considered six years would have been more appropriate in the case under sentencing guidelines.

They quashed the sentences, saying they were unduly lenient.

Instead, they said Taylor should serve a total of 33 months in custody.

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