Drug dealers who ran a small business selling cocaine and cannabis avoided jail after more than a two-year delay in their case reaching court. Corey Evans and Dylan George, both 23, were found to be dealing class A and B drugs in Cardiff when they were pulled over by police.
The defendants' homes in Caerphilly were raided by police and up to £2,000 worth of drugs was discovered. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard Evans and George were pulled over by officers in Salisbury Road, Cathays, on November 11, 2019, when they smelt cannabis coming from the vehicle.
Evans, the driver, was found in possession of £1,480 in cash which he claimed he was using to buy a bike. He and George were arrested and two phones belonging to Evans were seized, one of which kept ringing with customers attempting to buy drugs. George's phone showed evidence he was running the cannabis side of the business.
Read more: Go here to read all the latest stories from the courts in Wales
Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett said Evans' home in Coedcae Road, Abertridwr, and George's home in Beech Tree Avenue, Caerphilly, were searched and various items were found. In Evans' home, they found 16 wraps containing 5.426g of cocaine, a collection of plastic bags, mobile phones and a tick list. In George's home, they found a cool box containing 3.51g of cocaine, two bags containing 3.76g of cannabis and three wraps containing 2.42g of cocaine, as well as digital scales.
The barrister said: "In short, the police had discovered a small business being operated by both defendants using a motor vehicle to supply cocaine and cannabis in the Cathays area of Cardiff. The operation was in effect six months long in 2019. Evans was keeping hold of the money and George dealt with the cannabis end of the business." He said the pair also sold drugs wholesale to other dealers and there was possible use of violence to enforce drug debts.
Evans and George both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession with intent to supply cocaine. Evans also pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property and George pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis.
In mitigation, Ed Mitchard for both defendants said his clients had been waiting since 2019 to hear their fate and said both had made "significant changes" to their lifestyles and both had gained employment. He said Evans had previously been diagnosed with leukaemia and undergone bone marrow transplants which previously gave him a "devil may care attitude".
Sentencing, Judge Hywel James said: "Drugs have a serious detrimental effect on individuals and their families and to society in general... If there was not a delay in this case you would have gone to prison."
Evans and George were both sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. They were each ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work, a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and to pay courts costs of £750.
To get the latest news from WalesOnline sent straight to your email inbox, including our regular Crime and Punishment updates, click here while you can use this tool to check crime reports in your area:
