A CANCER survivor turned to trafficking thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and ecstasy when he fell under the spell of “more sophisticated” drug dealers.

Corris Davies, 22, of Balmoral Road, Newport, was jailed after he was exploited by criminals further up the chain, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

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Nik Strobl, prosecuting, said the defendant was arrested in the Maindee area of Newport in the early hours of the morning last summer.

Police stopped a car in which Davies was a passenger and found on him 21 snap bags of cocaine worth £630.

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A search of his home uncovered more than 180g of ketamine worth around £3,000.

Mr Strobl said detectives analysed Davies’ iPhone which revealed he was involved in trafficking large amounts of drugs.

One deal was for 127g of cocaine at a price of £4,750 and there were other messages relating to similar quantities of ketamine being sold.

Further texts referred to a shipment of ketamine about to be delivered to Chepstow and an agreement over 1kg of ecstasy.

Davies admitted supplying cocaine and cannabis, being concerned in the supply of ecstasy and ketamine, and possessing cocaine and ketamine with intent to supply.

Hashim Salmman, mitigating, asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty pleas, his lack of previous convictions and his young age.

His barrister added how the defendant had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma when he was aged 13.

Mr Salmman said: “It was an extremely traumatic experience and it impacted dramatically on his education and he lost his way.

“He made some very bad decisions and he turned the wrong way.”

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Davies: “You were involved in supplying a significant amount of class A drugs over a significant period of time.

“You allowed yourself to be used by others more criminally sophisticated than yourself.

“They use people like you so that they don’t get caught.”

The judge acknowledged the defendant had been “dealt a bad hand” in life.

He added: “Your parents have been through a great deal on your behalf.”

Davies was jailed for 45 months and ordered to pay a £181 surcharge upon his release from prison.