A cocaine-dealing dad who returned to the drugs trade was caught after he was robbed of his car at knife-point, a court has heard.
Matthew Thomas had been released under investigation after police found him with bloodshot eyes, "talking fast" with a stash of cocaine in his car but then went back to business - a return to dealing which emerged after he was car-jacked.
Swansea Crown Court heard the 35-year-old father-of-three now "bitterly regrets" his involvement in the world of drugs, and understands he is going to miss a period of time in his children's lives.
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Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said that on the afternoon of February 17 last year police stopped a car on Woodford Road in the Blaenymaes area of Swansea. The defendant was behind the wheel of the BMW X3, and officers noticed his eyes were bloodshot and he was talking "extremely fast". The vehicle was searched and in the driver's door pocket officers found wraps of cocaine with a street value of £1,350. Weighing scales, a lock-knife, two phones, and £105 in cash was also recovered. The court heard Thomas failed a roadside cocaine swipe test but subsequently refused to take an evidential test in the police station. When officer then searched his house they found more phones along with a "tick list" of moneys owed.
The court heard that messages downloaded from the defendant's phone showed he was being sent postcodes and was carrying out "drops" for drug dealers as well as dealing cocaine to users in his own right. There was also a limited number of messages where Thomas was offering to supply cannabis.
The defendant was questioned and released under investigation, and in January this year was sent a postal requisition telling him he was going to be charged. A fortnight after the letter was issued Thomas went to the police to report he had just been the victim of carjacking and that four people had stolen his vehicle and phone at knife-point. The prosecutor said police quickly recovered the missing car with the defendant's phone still inside, and an examination of messages on that mobile showed he had recently returned to dealing cocaine and was involved with the "Nicky and Jay" drugs line. The carjacking is believed to be linked to the drugs trade.
Matthew Mark Thomas, of Taliesyn Road, Townhill, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of a bladed article, offering to supplying cannabis, and being concerned in the supply of cocaine when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 18 previous convictions for 35 offences including producing cannabis and the simple possession of cannabis. In June last year he was jailed for 12 weeks and banned from driving for three years for failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving while disqualified in relation to the offending in Blaenymaes and for another offence of driving while disqualified committed in Townhill in March.
John Allchurch, for Thomas, said in February last year the defendant had been a user of cocaine, and that this use had led to him becoming involved in dealing the drug as well. He said Thomas was a father-of-three in a long-term relationship who now "bitterly regrets" his involvement with drugs, and understands he is going to miss a period of time in his children's lives with the inevitable prison sentence he was facing.
Judge Geraint Walters told Thomas that the fact he had returned to drug dealing after being charged with similar offending was a hugely aggravating factor. He said drug use was a "blight" on the community, and those deal in Class A drugs can - in all but the most exceptional of circumstances - expect a custodial sentence if caught.
With a discount for his guilty pleas Thomas was sentenced to a total of four years in prison comprising two years for the 2022 offending and two years for the 2023 offending to run consecutively. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
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