Drug dealer's prison sentence extended after appeal

Appeal finds Deemster 'fell into error' by applying three-month discount to jail term

A drug dealer involved in a criminal organisation that was importing drugs to the Isle of Man has had his prison sentence extended.

Garry Paul Dentith of Princes Street in Douglas was initially sentenced to seven years and three months in prison as part of Operation Artemis.

Dentith was jailed in January after pleading guilty to producing cannabis to the Island, supplying cannabis and laundering or seeking to launder almost £200,000.

The 42-year-old appealed against the sentence, with his advocate describing the duration as 'manifestly excessive'.

Dentith's representative argued that part of the sentence should have been concurrent rather than consecutive.

In response, the prosecution stated the appeal ignored that the supply of cannabis was over a 10-month period, and that the consecutive sentence for his dealing conviction was heavily discounted.

The appeal found that the money laundering offences were not part of the parcel of drugs offences and were 'entirely separate transactions, so the sentences should not run concurrently.

Dentith's original sentence also included a three-month discount because of his responsibilities to his partner and stepson.

However, the prosecution questioned this during the appeal, stating Dentith didn't live with his girlfriend and that they'd only been dating for a short time.

The appeal ruled that Dentith's girlfriend and her son had no dependency on him, and as a result the Deemster fell into error by giving the three-month reduction.

As a result, Dentith's sentence was increased to a total of seven years and six months.