In a case that linked police corruption to the Melbourne underworld, Wayne Geoffrey Strawhorn, a former detective senior sergeant, was found guilty in 2006 of selling two kilograms of pseudoephedrine to murdered underworld figure Mark Moran.

Strawhorn was sentenced to seven years prison with a minimum of four years.

He was seeking leave to appeal the conviction and sentence.

His lawyer, Peter Morrissey, argued Strawhorn should not have been convicted because the jury had not received a proper warning about a witness who gave evidence against him.

He said a former police officer, who cannot be named, had been pressured into incriminating Strawhorn.

It was also argued that evidence relating to Strawhorn's consciousness of guilt and some corroborating evidence should not have been led to the jury.

Mr Morrissey said Strawhorn's sentence was manifestly excessive.

Victorian Court of Appeal Justices Frank Vincent, Geoffrey Nettle and Murray Kellam today dismissed the appeal saying none of the grounds of appeal possessed substance.

They said Strawhorn's experience as a drug squad policeman meant he would have known what he was doing was wrong.

"The applicant was not only a police member with considerable experience in the area, but also direct responsibilities in relation to the operation of the Chemical Diversion Desk,'' the justices said.

"It can be safely assumed that the possibility that unauthorised purchases had been made for corrupt purposes would have been recognised by him as immensely important given his experience and the nature of his responsibilities.''

The justices said a warning to the jury about a witness was not necessary in this case.

In dismissing Strawhorn's application for leave to appeal against his sentence, the court ruled the sentencing judge carefully took into account all relevant principles and considerations and that the sentence was a proper exercise of his discretion.

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