He was stopped for driving 'erratically' – then police found his burner phone
He was stopped for driving 'erratically' – then police found his burner phone
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He was stopped for driving 'erratically' – then police found his burner phone

Jason Evans 🕒︎ 2025-10-22

Copyright walesonline

He was stopped for driving 'erratically' – then police found his burner phone

A cocaine dealer was caught after police in an unmarked car saw him driving "erratically" and followed him. An officer in an unmarked car blocked the defendant's vehicle and a subsequent examination of his burner phone found he was involved in supplying a range of deal sizes from 1.75g up to a quarter of an ounce. Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court Smith first came to the attention of police in Swansea on the afternoon of October 15 last year when officers saw an Audi TT car driving in excess of the 30mph limit in Peniel Green Road in Llansamlet. The prosecutor said officers pulled the Audi over and spoke to the defendant who told them he was driving the sports car for the nearby Fabian Motor Company garage. The court heard checks showed Smith was in fact a banned driver having been disqualified as a "totter" at Cardiff Magistrates' Court some three months earlier. The owner of the car sales business was contacted and arrived at the scene to collect the TT. The prosecutor said Smith was subsequently summonsed for the driving offence but failed to turn up to court and a warrant was issued. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter The court heard the warrant was still outstanding when, on July 23 this year, an officer on patrol in Briton Ferry in an unmarked car saw a Kia Ceed being "erratically". The officer followed the Kia to nearby flats and saw the driver, Smith, and his female passenger briefly enter the block before returning to the car. The officer used his car to prevent the defendant from driving away and "due to the driver's condition" the policeman came to the conclusion he unfit to drive. The car was searched and the passenger was found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs. The court heard police seized two phones from Smith and a subsequent examination of the devices showed messages relating to the supply of cocaine over the previous two weeks in deal sizes ranging from from 1.75g up to a quarter of an ounce. John Smith, aged 33, of Melyn Close, Penrhiwtyn, Neath , had previously pleaded guilt to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, driving while disqualified, and driving with no insurance when he appeared in the dock for sentencing, He has previous offences for driving matters including driving with no insurance, failing to provide the details of a driver, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. Steve Burnell, for Smith, said the father-of-two had no previous convictions for drugs offences but following deaths in the family he had started taking controlled substances and then selling them. Judge Eugene Egan said Smith had been "brazenly driving while disqualified" and messages found on a burner phone showed his involvement in dealing Class A drugs. With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas the defendant was sentenced to a total of 31 months in prison comprising 30 months for the drugs offence and one month for driving while disqualified to run consecutively. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Smith was disqualified from driving for 33 months. The court heard Smith's passenger from the Kia has previously been sentenced for the simple possession of cocaine. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice .

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