A man jailed for being at the top of a major cocaine dealing operation in east Belfast has lost a legal battle to have his sentence reduced.
The Court of Appeal rejected claims that 38-year-old Glenn Rainey received too heavy a prison term after admitting his role in a criminal network behind the wholesale supply racket.
Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said: “Those who engage in dealing in drugs at this level should expect sentences of this nature.”
In January this year Rainey, formerly of McArthur Court in Belfast, was handed a three-year sentence for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
It followed an investigation into a crime syndicate involved in distributing the drugs in the east of the city between 2017 and 2018.
Mobile phones seized as part of the probe revealed a large volume of messages about the commercial dealing operation.
The court heard Rainey was at the top end of the network where prices were listed and “runners” used to deliver supplies.
His involvement allegedly continued even while on holiday in Thailand.
With Rainey already serving a separate four-year sentence imposed for other drug dealing activities in 2020, he was ordered to serve the further term consecutively.
Defence lawyers argued that he wrongly now faces a total period of seven years imprisonment for the two separate cases.
Frank O’Donoghue KC submitted: “This is a very severe sentence… which trespasses into the area of being manifestly excessive.”
But the three appeal judges identified no errors in the sentencing process.
“This is a case of high-end supply of drugs to the community in east Belfast,” the Lady Chief Justice stressed.
Dismissing Rainey’s challenge, she confirmed: “The trial judge reached a sentence which was perfectly proper, it does not result in a finding of manifestly excessive in any respect.
“Such drug dealing is a scourge on local communities and causes harm to many people in those communities.”