A cocaine dealer who boasted about his prices on Snapchat became involved in the world of drugs after being “served more than a pint” in his local pub, a court has heard.
Ashley Jones was caught after police arrested another dealer and found that dealer had been buying supplies of cocaine from the defendant.
Police also found Jones was selling directly to users and was boasting in Snapchat messages that his “prices won’t be beaten”.
Sending Jones, who has no previous convictions, to prison for 32 months a judge at Swansea Crown Court told him those who involve themselves in the supply of Class A drugs “cause untold damage”.
Regan Walters, prosecuting, told the court that in February this year police arrested a cocaine dealer by the name of Stewart Parker in Neath and seized his phone, reports WalesOnline.
An examination of the device revealed Parker was buying supplies from a number of sources including from numbers which officers were able to attribute to Jones.
The following month officers went to Jones’ house in Swansea. He told officers he had “five or six grams” of cocaine in his rucksack.
A search of the property and the defendant’s car turned up a total of 15g of cocaine, 6g of cannabis, a set of weighing scales, a phone, and £155 in cash.
On the phone police found Snapchat conversations between Jones and customers in which he boasted about the quality and price of what he was selling, including one message when he said: “Prices won’t be beaten”.
The prosecutor said in his police interview 33-year-old Jones denied supplying drugs and said he “only sniffed it”. When asked about the messages and chats on his phone the defendant replied: “No comment”.
The court heard that in March this year Parker, the dealer Jones was supplying, was jailed for the three years for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Ashley Jones, of Bevans Terrace, Winch Wen, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, and the simple possession of cannabis when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.
Jon Tarrant, for Jones, said in the defendant’s local pub “he was served more than a pint” which ultimately led to him being in the dock facing drug trafficking charges and he said his client’s remorse for what he had done was “complete and tangible”.
The barrister said his client has a daughter, a stable relationship, his own business, and an “exceptionally strong family”.
He also said Jones has the advantage of an excellent pre-sentence report but added the defendant was aware that he “cannot escape the sentencing guidelines”.
Judge Geraint Walters told Jones those involved in the supply of Class A drugs “cause untold damage” and said the wickedness of the trade was that it “blights the lives of those who are addicted and blights communities where people have to see drug dealing on street corners”.
With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Jones was sentenced to 32 months in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
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