THESE six defendants were recently handed prison sentences for crimes like drug dealing, assault, theft and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.

We look at their cases.

South Wales Argus:

Jermaine Taylor

Promising rugby player Jermaine Taylor turned to drug dealing after injury ended his burgeoning career with the Dragons.

The 25-year-old from Newport became involved in trafficking crack cocaine in the city.

He pleaded guilty to drug supply offences and to assaulting prison officers while being held on remand in jail at HMP Parc in Bridgend.

Taylor was jailed for six years and nine months.

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South Wales Argus:

Ice ap Evans

Drug dealer Ice ap Evans was jailed for more than four years after he was caught with cocaine twice during police stops.

He was first pulled over driving a Kia Sportage SUV in Ebbw Vale last December and again when a passenger in a BMW a few weeks later in the new year.

Officers recovered hundreds of pounds of cocaine as well as £400 cash from the 22-year-old from Blaina.

South Wales Argus:

Kyle Jones

A thief threatened a pharmacist with a steel shank when he was confronted for stealing medicine from Boots.

Kyle Jones pulled out the weapon when he was caught shoplifting at Boots on Newport’s Caerleon Road.

“It was a shank type item with wiring around it and sharply pointed,” Andrew Kendall, prosecuting, said.

“The defendant thrust it towards his torso but he didn’t make contact with his victim who felt extremely threatened.”

Jones, aged 35, of Maesglas Road, Newport was jailed for six months.

South Wales Argus:

James Evans

Drug dealer James Evans was caught with cocaine that had an estimated wholesale value of £1 million but worth far more on the streets.

He was renting a mid-terrace house on Newport’s Somerton Road where he was mixing the class A drug with adulterants to increase profits.

Gwent Police officers raided the property on September 16 last year where they found more than 10kg of cocaine.

Evans, 39, of Gordon Street, Newport was jailed for seven years and four months.

South Wales Argus:

Huw Thomas

A son was branded as “a bully of worst kind” for strangling his vulnerable 70-year-old mum.

Huw Thomas had moved into her home towards the end of last year despite being banned from contacting her by a restraining order.

The defendant, 39, from Cwmbran also stole £500 from her when he twice used her bank card to withdraw money from a cashpoint.

Thomas was jailed for 33 months and made the subject of an indefinite restraining order not to contact his mother.

South Wales Argus:

Asjad Ali

Ex-toy store worker Asjad Ali was caught couriering nearly £30,000 worth of heroin across Newport.

The 30-year-old was paid just £100 by drug dealers to ferry his cargo across the city earlier this year.

Ali, of Stamford Court, Newport was sent to prison for 25 months.