TWO school friends from Gwent who sold cocaine in a drug dealing hotspot in Cardiff walked free after it took years to bring them to court.

Corey Evans and Dylan George, both aged 23, were supplying the class A drug in the student area of Cathays.

Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett said: “They were effectively operating as a small business together playing, the prosecution say, an equal partnership.

“At around 2.50pm on November 11, 2019, police were on patrol looking for street drug dealers when they spotted a black BMW on Salisbury Road in Cathays, a well-known drug dealing location.”

They stopped the car which Evans was driving with George as a passenger.

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When they searched the vehicle, they found “a large bundle of cash” on Evans which totalled £1,480.

A mobile phone seized from the car continued to ring with calls from prospective customers as the pair were taken into custody at Cathays police station.

Police then searched the defendants’ homes and found 16 wraps of cocaine with a purity of 32% in Evans’ bedroom as well as a tick list.

They seized 3.5g of cocaine from George’s bedroom which had a purity of 29% and nearly 50g of cannabis.

Evans, of Coedcae Road, Abertridwr, and George, of Beech Tree Avenue, both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Evans also admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.

George also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Both defendants were friends since school and neither had any previous convictions, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

There was no explanation from the prosecution as to why it took more than two years to bring them to justice.

Ed Mitchard, representing both Evans and George, said: “Both defendants and their families have been on tenterhooks since November 2019.

“During that two and a half year time period, they have made significant changes to their lifestyles.

“Importantly, they are both in full-time employment and both in stable relationships.

“They have remained crime free. They had two years to prove themselves or hang themselves.

“Fortunately for them and their families, they chose the correct option.”

He added how Evans had been treated for leukaemia and may have had “a devil may care attitude” at the time.

Judge Hywel James told the defendants if it wasn’t for the long delay in the case coming to court, they would be going to prison.

Evans and George were jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years.

They were ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, told to complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay a victim surcharge.