A “MANIPULATIVE” drug dealer lost an appeal against his jail term after judges heard he tried to pin his crimes on his friends.

Jordan Michael McCann, aged 22, was jailed for six-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court for having cannabis and cocaine with intent to supply.

McCann, of Larkfield Avenue, Little Hulton, had been caught on three separate occasions by police with stashes of drugs.

Rejecting an appeal against his sentence, senior judges in London described how “quick-thinking” McCann had blamed his pals.

He was first caught out in July, 2014, when police raided his home and found £1,000 worth of cannabis and digital scales.

Analysis of mobile phones found there revealed text messages relating to the sale of drugs.

But later that same day, a young man walked into a police station to tell officers the drugs at McCann’s home were his.

Appeal judge Sir David Maddison said, whoever owned the drugs, McCann certainly had a “considerable interest in them”.

He was caught again a month later when he was spotted in a car with a group of other men.

When the vehicle was stopped, officers found almost £1,500 worth of cocaine in the footwell of the seat where McCann sat.

McCann “persuaded” one of the others — who was only 17 years old — to take full responsibility, allowing him to deny involvement at his trial, where he was convicted.

Again, in December 2014, he was caught out when police raided his home and he was found asleep with a bag of cannabis beside him.

The sentencing judge, in October, 2015, said McCann had got others to take the blame, suggesting he was a “quick-thinking and manipulative” person.

McCann appealed on the basis that his sentence was too long, but Sir David, Lord Justice Simon and Mr Justice William Davis disagreed, stating the trial judge was best placed to decide length.

Sir David said the crown court judge, having heard the evidence in the case, was in the best position to decide the length of sentence.

The appeal bid was refused.