A THREE strikes drug dealer was caught with heroin with a potential street value of £10,000 after police raided his mother’s home.

Martin Bough, 57, of Church Road, Newport, was living with his mum following his recent release from prison for trafficking, prosecutor Paul Hewitt said.

He told Cardiff Crown Court: “When the house was searched, officers found 107 grams of heroin and an Asda supermarket bag with 1,500g of paracetamol and caffeine, as well as scales, mobile phones and cling film.”

Mr Hewitt said the paracetamol and caffeine could be mixed with the heroin as cutting agents which is commonly known as “bash”.

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He added: “The heroin had a potential street value of between £2,200 and £2,700 but if it was mixed with the agents, the value was around £10,000.”

Bough pleaded guilty to the possession of heroin with intent to supply on May 30.

Mr Hewitt said the defendant had 32 previous convictions for 82 offences and had served prison sentences for heroin trafficking twice before.

In 2001 he was convicted of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug and was guilty of the same offence two years ago.

Gareth Williams, mitigating, said: “The defendant’s life has been blighted by heroin addiction and it is this addiction that has caused his offending rather than attempts at some lavish lifestyle.

“He lost a friend recently and sought solace in heroin.”

The minimum prison sentence for a three strikes class A drug dealer is seven years before the maximum discount can be applied.

Taking into account Bough’s guilty plea at the first available opportunity, Judge David Wynn Morgan jailed him for five years and seven months.

The defendant will be subject to a Proceeds of Crime Act application and will have to pay a victim surcharge upon his release from custody.