Drug dealer Delwyn Smith caught in Royal Albert Public House after police search warrant

Delwen Smith, of Wyeverne Road, Newport, appeared before Newport Crown Court yesterday (May 4), having pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A Cocaine.

Gwent Police conducted a search warrant at the Royal Albert Public House, in Newport, and detained the 47-year-old on Friday, June 1 2018, the court heard.

Delwyn Smith

Prosecutor Peter Donnison said that the defendant emptied his pockets and officers discovered eight small snap bags containing cocaine and £875 in cash.

"The sealed bags were examined," he said.

"The first contained 0.36 grams of a mixture of cocaine and a non-controlled drug. The other seven totalled 2.8 grams - again of cocaine and non-controlled drugs.

"Those seven bags had a purity of 69 per cent. The combined estimated value of the second bags - taking in the lowest estimated value - is £160.

"Also found was a large quantity of cash of £875 in all. This was in £5, £10, notes and some £20 notes also."

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Smith's iPhone was also seized and in a subsequent examination a number of text messages relating to drug dealing were discovered

Mr Donnison said: "The messages ranged over a number of months - including on February 23 where people asked 'Are you about' and 'Can I have a bag please? I will give you the money over the weekend.'

"There is certainly in excess of 25 messages and I suspect there are more."

Mitigating, Gareth Williams said: "I only want to address the issue of how many different numbers there were. He said there were about half of that. That is not to say that I disagree with the categorisation at all.

"He is the author of his own downfall and decided to get involved in this level of offending.

"Come the start of 2018 there were some personal difficulties and ultimately what really led to him getting involved in this offending was his own difficulties with dealing with issues using cocaine.

"He has tried to prove that he has put it behind him."

Judge Jeremy Jenkins sentenced him to 32 months in prison and ordered the £875 cash be handed over to Gwent Police to use in their fight against drugs.