A DOORMAN who sold weight-loss pills after he became annoyed at rumours he was an ecstasy dealer has had his jail term cut at London's Appeal Court.
Anthony Greco, 26, of King Edwards Drive, Bilton, Harrogate, was jailed for three years at Leeds Crown Court, in April, after he was convicted of offering to supply a Class A drug and possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.
But Mr Justice Butterfield, sitting with Mr Justice Goldring at London's Appeal Court, yesterday cut Greco's jail term to two years - ruling that the original sentence was manifestly excessive.
Greco decided he would sell Ephedrine - a non-controlled weight-loss tablet - and pass it off as ecstasy to club punters.
However, the doorman kept a small supply of real ecstasy in his pocket - to give to any customers who recognised they were being given slimming tablets and threatened to become violent.
When police searched his car, they found 101 Ephedrine tablets. He was also found to have three ecstasy tablets in his pocket and three more Ephedrines.
Lawyers on his behalf yesterday argued that the jail term meted out was too long in view of the quantity of actual controlled drugs involved.
Mr Justice Butterfield said: "There is a distinction to be made between someone who supplies a substantial amount of ecstasy and someone who supplies Ephedrine and who has three ecstasy tablets in case someone was not satisfied with what he sold.
"In the circumstances, it seems to us an appropriate sentence for this offender would have been one of two years imprisonment."
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