A YOUNG father was caught supplying heroin and crack cocaine on his bicycle while riding around the Bettws area of Newport carrying a man bag.

Ryan Wheeler, 24, had “foolishly” turned to drug dealing in order to pay off a £700 bet, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Jeffrey Jones, prosecuting, said plain clothes police saw the defendant selling to a customer on the morning of July 4, 2021.

When they arrested him, Wheeler was found with drugs which had a potential street value of more than £2,000.

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He had on him, 16 wraps of heroin, 22 wraps of crack cocaine and £1,390 in cash.

Wheeler was carrying an iPhone with links to a central mobile telephone drugs line based in the city called the ‘Liam Line’.

Wheeler, of Oliphant Circle, Malpas, Newport, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply and possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Kathryn Lane, representing him, said: “The defendant is a young father who is clearly adored by his children.

“He foolishly became involved in this venture to clear a debt.”

His barrister added how the defendant would look after his children so his partner could go to her job as an NHS worker.

The judge, Recorder Bilal Siddique, told Wheeler: “You were in the Bettws area which was being monitored by police.

“You were on a bicycle and you approached a man in a van and you intended to supply him with either heroin or crack cocaine.

“The police approached you, you resisted and dropped two wraps of crack cocaine.”

Recorder Siddique added: “You don’t have any previous convictions and you are 24.

“You operated in a chain of supply and the items on you and the man bag all showed you had some awareness.

You put into jeopardy everything you hold dea

“You did act under the direction of others to remove a debt of £700.

“Your previous good character is your strongest mitigation and you had only been involved for some three days in this.

“I accept this was a short lived venture and that you were acting at the behest of others.

“Your learned counsel has spoken very well on your behalf that you are a family man and that you were persuaded into a foolish venture just to pay off your £700 drug debt.

“You put into jeopardy everything that you hold dear – you didn’t think about the consequences to your partner and your children.”

Wheeler was jailed for 27 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge after his release from prison.