A serial drug dealer was caught in possession of heroin and cocaine in Cardiff city centre after police saw him on the phone to a customer. When he was searched he was found with packages containing drugs and a Stanley knife.
Anthony Wilson, 57, was arrested by police on May 18 at around 9.30am after he was seen in St Mary Street. He appeared to be using a mobile phone but the call was abandoned when the police grabbed hold of him.
Prosecutor Steven Donoghue told a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday the defendant was searched and a number of packages were found including a zip-lock bag which contained the drugs. In total there were 10 wraps of heroin and 22 wraps of crack cocaine which had an average weight of 0.1g each and had an overall street value of £630. He was also found in possession of a Stanley knife.
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In his police interview Wilson claimed he had been sleeping in a doorway and had withdrawn £400 which he used to buy the drugs, which he said were for his own personal use. The defendant, of Cheam Place, Llanishen, later pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of a bladed article. The court heard he had 52 previous convictions for offences relating to dishonesty, violence, and supplying controlled drugs.
In mitigation Jacob Rees said is client had "profound health problems" and had a pacemaker fitted four years ago. He recently suffered the bereavement of his partner and had a "deep-seated" addiction to heroin and crack cocaine which he injects intravenously into his neck but since his remand in prison he has been taking medication to ease his addiction.
Sentencing Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant said: "It's striking that for large parts of the last 20 years you have lived a life of crime and seemingly despite attempted intervention from other courts you have not in any significant way veered from that path." Wilson was sentenced to a total of 58 months imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody before he is released to serve the remainder on licence.
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