A COUPLE were caught with 58kg of drugs worth £290,000 in their home.

Andrew Morrish, 41, and Amanda Wilkes, 59, were arrested after the police made the find at their house on Albert Avenue in the Maindee area of Newport.

The drugs in question were multiple packages of cannabis, the city’s crown court was told.

Morrish was the lead offender and he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a class A drug and a money laundering charge of acquiring criminal property.

That related to £92,000 in cash recovered at the address.

Wilkes admitted permitting the use of premises for the supply/attempt/offer to supply cannabis.

The duo were arrested at around 1.45pm on Monday, June 17 after officers on patrol spotted Morrish carrying out a drug deal in the street.

Morrish has spent the last five months in custody while his partner served 36 days in prison before she was granted bail.

Sentencing them, Judge Carl Harrison said: “Officers observed you Mr Morrish conducting a drug deal with another.

“You told the police where you lived. You said your ‘missus’ will be up there and pointed to an address at Albert Avenue.

“When the police entered, they noticed the smell of cannabis – it was overwhelming.”

Morrish has 10 previous convictions for 22 offences but none that were relevant.

Wilkes, it was heard in mitigation, was a woman of previous good character with no offences recorded against her.

Morrish suffers from mental health difficulties that include schizophrenia, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was jailed for 21 months but his sentence was suspended for two years.

Morrish was made the subject of a 12-month mental health requirement under the supervision of a registered psychologist and he must complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Wilkes was sentenced to a 12-month community order and she must also complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Harrison said the “punitive” element of her sentence was the 36 days she spent in custody.

Both defendants are set to face a proceeds of crime hearing.