A CONVICTED killer turned to drug dealing following his release from prison after serving a life sentence for murder.

Wayne Scotland became involved in crime again after moving to Newport from London where he had murdered a man in 1997.

The 48-year-old started selling cannabis in Gwent and was described in Cardiff Crown Court as a “dealer’s dealer”.

William Bebb, prosecuting, said: “The police executed a drugs warrant at the defendant’s address in Newport at 5.55am on the morning of April 5 when he was still in a bed.

MORE NEWS 

“During their search of the property they found £1,500 in a jacket hanging on the bedroom door and a black stab vest under the bed.”

Officers also seized a mobile phone which contained drug-related text and Facebook messages.

Scotland was offering the sale of around 1kg of a type of American cannabis popularly known as “Cali weed” with a potential street value of £10,000.

The defendant told detectives he used the stab vest as a “safety measure” when he attended anti-knife crime charity events in London.

He also claimed he had borrowed the £1,500 in cash from his brother and cousin.

Scotland had been freed from jail for murder in 2017 but was recalled three years later and released again in April 2021.

The defendant, of Sterndale Bennett Road, Newport, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between March 1 and April 5.

Timothy Evans, representing Scotland, said his client had been helping young people from “difficult and dangerous backgrounds” get into the music business.

His barrister told the court: “There was bitter regret as to what happened in that previous conviction and he wanted to change and better himself.

“The defendant relocated to South Wales because he wanted to get away from the influences he had previously had and he took a number of steps to try to rebuild a life away from the previous life he’d had.

“He’s kicking himself – he’s an intelligent man and he wants to learn from this and make amends.”

The court heard how the defendant’s life and motivation took a “downturn” after he was recalled to prison in 2020.

He is taking legal action because he claims his recall was “unlawful”.

Judge Paul Hobson told Scotland he hadn’t reoffended as soon as he was released from prison and had spent much of that time living a “productive” life.

But he added: “You were offering multi ounce deals and you were offering to deal to drug dealers.

“The fact that you committed this offence while you were subject to a life licence for the offence of murder is a seriously aggravating feature.”

He jailed him for 10 months.

The defendant will have to pay a victim surcharge following his release from prison.