Three young men with "good prospects" ran a joint enterprise that saw them selling cocaine in a small town. They were caught after they were found to be sending messages advertising drugs and chasing customer debts.
Jack Thomas, 25, Connor Taylor, 28, and Sam Andrews, 20, were involved in the running of a drugs line based in Tredegar. Thomas led the group, using Taylor as a courier while Andrews was involved in dealing cannabis.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Wednesday heard the defendants came to the attention of the police through a telephone number used by both Thomas and Taylor. Andrews involvement was discovered when he was searched by police during Thomas' arrest and was found in possession of cocaine.
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Prosecutor Rebecca Griffiths said: "All three were involved together in drug dealing in Tredegar. It's classed as a socially deprived area with high levels of unemployment and increasing problems with class A drugs being used in the community. Neighbourhood enforcement teams proactively investigated into class A drugs and received intelligence about Mr Thomas and Mr Taylor being involved in supplying cannabis in the Tredegar area."
Having obtained access to phones belonging to Mr Thomas and Mr Taylor, police discovered messages from customers requesting "coke". The number, used by Thomas, responded to the messages and also directed customers to a number used by Taylor. Text bombs were sent out advertising drugs and messages about drug debts.
In November last year, Thomas was pulled over by police in Tredegar and Andrews was the front seat passenger. Thomas was searched and was found in possession of £175 and €155, and two iPhones, one of which was the drugs line. Officers described him sweating profusely, his pupils dilated and slurring his words. A test revealed he was under the influence of cocaine.
When Andrews was searched he was found in possession of £825 and a red iPhone. When that was analysed, it was found to contain messages related to the supply of cocaine and cannabis. He was searched again in custody and found in possession of four snap bags containing white powder, four underweight 1g street deals of cocaine worth between £320 and £400.
On being driven to Ystrad Mynach police station, Thomas told officers there was a safe in his grandfather's house which contained £5,000 and there was money in a side cabinet in his bedroom.
A search was carried out at Thomas' home in Ystrad Deri where £1,455 was seized but the defendant's grandfather said three men had arrived to pick up the safe, naming Taylor as one of the men. Nothing was seized at Andrews' home in York Terrace.
When police attended Taylor's house in Glanhowy Street at 8.40pm, he wasn't there. They called him and he told the officer's he was in Llanelli but would be returning that day. He was arrested upon his return at 11.5pm. When asked about his phone, he said he had left it with a friend, and the device was never recovered.
In his police interview, Thomas denied his co-defendants were supplying drugs on behalf of him, and claimed the money found in his possession had not come from drug dealing. He and Taylor later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Andrews pleaded guilty to that charge, as well as being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cocaine.
Ms Griffiths added: "The three defendants worked together in a joint enterprise. Thomas had a dedicated drugs line to facilitate his dealing, to inform customers to ring rather than text, and had others working beneath him to supply drugs.... Thomas had a substantial customer base and was owed several hundreds of thousands of pounds."
The prosecutor said Taylor and Andrews were working with Thomas to supply cocaine for financial reward and owed substantial amounts to Thomas. Andrews was also found with several prepared street deals ready for supply.
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In mitigation, Hashim Salmman for Thomas said his client started to misuse cocaine and developed a heavy addiction which he hid from his family who are now "devastated". He began to fund his addiction by dealing. Julia Cox, for Andrews, said her client had a financial burden due to his misuse of cannabis and became involved in dealing to his "naivety". William Bebb, for Taylor, had "genuine remorse" for letting, his family, his clients and himself down.
Sentencing, Recorder Aiden Eardley KC said: "It's a very sad case of three young men who had good prospects who became addicted to drugs and turned to drug dealing."
Thomas was sentenced to a total of 36 months imprisonment. Taylor was sentenced to a total of 32 months imprisonment. Andrews was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment.
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