A convicted drug dealer has secured a cut in his prison sentence.

Cairo Dean Benjamin, 23, was jailed for a total of 29 months in April after being convicted of six offences including two relating to the supply of cannabis.

He had denied all six charges but had changed his plea to guilty on the first day of his general gaol and summary trials.

Deemster Graeme Cook sentenced Benjamin to 13 months’ custody for being concerned in supplying 232.6g of cannabis with a street value of £4,652.

He also sentenced him to 15 months’ custody to run consecutively for possessing 26.6g of cannabis with a street value of £759 with intent to supply.

And Benjamin was given a further month in custody consecutive for possessing 14.6g of cannabis with a street value of £438.

Three month sentences for being in possession of criminal property – £410 and £172 – were concurrent as was a seven day jail term for possessing 3.6g of cannabis.

Benjamin, of Sumark Croft, Anagh Coar, appealed his custodial sentences on the basis that they should have totalled no more than 24 months’ custody and should have been suspended.

The appellant’s advocate Paul Rodgers argued that the total sentence of 29 months’ custody was ‘manifestly excessive’.

Judge of appeal Jeremy Storey KC and Deemster Alastair Montgomerie agreed that while the sentences in isolation were ‘unimpeachable’ they failed to reflect totality.

They allowed the appeal and quashed Deemster Cook’s sentence of 15 months’ custody consecutive for the offence of possessing a controlled class B drug with intent to supply and passed instead one of 10 months’ custody.

The sentences for the other five offences remained, making a total sentence of 24 months’ custody.

Benjamin and another man were arrested when police raided an address in Anagh Coar in November 2019.

He attempted to run off but was detained as he ran up the stairs.

A full search of the property was conducted and 232.6g of cannabis with a street value of £4,652 was found laid out on the bed in a bedroom.

Benjamin claimed the £410 found in his coat pocket consisted of his savings from collecting benefits.

Then on March 2 last year, police executed a search warrant at his home address and found him trying to hide cannabis in a kitchen cupboard.

A search of the property revealed a set of scales, a grinder and snap bags, as well as 53.2g of cannabis with a street value of £1,518.

A basis of plea was accepted by the prosecution that about half of the 53.2g of cannabis seized was for his own personal use, and the other half was intended for onward sale to close friends in order to feed his own cannabis use.