A cocaine dealer was caught with £15,000 worth of the drug in his house along with cash and gold and silver bullion, a court has heard.
Family man Simon Richards claimed the stash of coke was all for his personal use but a search of the house found weighing scales with traces of white powder, hundreds of small empty plastic bags, and a phone full of incriminating messages.
Swansea Crown Court heard Richards began using cocaine during the Covid lockdown when he had "time on his hands" and then began selling it to "like-minded friends". His advocate told the court that the defendant realises that by his "foolish and selfish behaviour" he has put his family in jeopardy.
READ MORE: Get the latest court cases sent to your email inbox with our Crime & Punishment newsletter
Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, said on May 15 this year police executed a search warrant at the defendant's house in Port Talbot. Officers uncovered 157g of high purity cocaine with a street value of around £15,600 along with 900 empty snap-seal bags, weighing scales with traces of white powder, some £11,560 in cash, and a stash of small gold and silver bars.
The court heard Richards, who was the only person in the property at the time of the raid, told officers he had bought the cocaine for £4,500 and it was all for his personal use. The defendant's phone was seized and examined, and officers found messages indicating the 43-year-old had been involved in dealing as well as a "tick list" showing moneys owed. The prosecutor said Richards insisted that the gold and silver bullion found in the house - worth more than £8,000 - was not the proceeds of criminal behaviour, an assertion the Crown now accepted.
Simon Richards, of Village Gardens, Baglan, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property - the cash found in the house - when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.
Andrew Evans for Richards, said during the Covid lockdowns the defendant had found himself "in a directionless state and with time on his hands" and started using drugs, use which developed into supplying cocaine to other people he knew who were in a similar position. He said the defendant's wife and parents - all of whom have "responsible positions in the community" - were totally unaware of what was happening, and he said had Richards been honest with them about his drug use they would have intervened to help him. The advocate said the defendant was an active member of the community and was involved in charitable activities, and he said Richards understands that through his "foolish and selfish behaviour" he has put his family in jeopardy.
Recorder Aiden Eardley KC said the evidence showed the defendant had been supplying cocaine to around 10 "like-minded friends". With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas Richards was sentenced to 33 months in prison - he will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation will now be carried out into the defendant's finances.
