TWO “family men” with no previous convictions who worked during the day and supplied cocaine at night are behind bars.

Mark Walsh, 33, of Pontgam Terrace, Ynysddu, and Gary Jackson, also 33, of Grove Road, Risca, lived double lives as drug dealers, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Walsh even described himself as a “Jekyll and Hyde character” and both are fathers-of-two who had steady jobs.

Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting, said the former played a “leading role” with Jackson working as his “runner”.

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He told the court how police raided Walsh’s home on Thursday, January 30, where they discovered 107.5 grammes of high purity cocaine with a potential street value of £5,200.

Officers arrested Jackson on the same day.

Mr Bennett said: “Walsh played a leading role as a drug dealer and was in control of others.

“Jackson was effectively working for him as his runner and would drive around with cocaine for users.”

Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, between October 14, 2019 and January 30, 2020.

Mr Bennett said both defendants were of previous good character with no convictions recorded against them.

Thomas Stanway, mitigating for Walsh, said his client had turned to drug dealing to cope with his joint addiction to gambling and cocaine.

He told the court: “He wasn’t leading an extravagant lifestyle. He started playing poker with friends and then moved on to gambling online, playing poker and roulette, and started spending £40 per day.

“The defendant was doing the best for his family in the day and taking cocaine and gambling by night.

“He would wake up in the morning with a feeling of dread about how much money he had frittered away the night before.

“He is a father-of-two who will not see his children grow up over the next few years.”

Hashim Salmman, for Jackson, said his client’s offending had “ruined the lives of his family”.

His barrister added: “Three years ago, he fell into the misuse of cocaine and that escalated and spiralled out of control.

“This has come as a total shock to the system for his partner, his mother and his brother who are all in court to support him.”

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The judge, Recorder Mark Powell QC, described both men as “family men” and told the defendants: “I have no alternative but to send you to prison immediately.

“The supply of cocaine wreaks havoc with children. It wreaks havoc with families.

“I spent nearly 40 years as a solicitor in Blackwood and I have seen the effect of this on people like yourselves.”

He jailed Walsh for four years and eight months and Jackson must serve a three-year prison sentence.

Both are due to attend a Proceeds of Crime Application hearing on Monday, June 29, and pay a victim impact surcharge upon their release from custody.