‘Unlucky' Newport drug dealer caught after car broke down
Lewis Hill, 23, from Newport avoided going straight to jail following mitigation that he provides for a child and has a second one on the way.
The defendant was found with cannabis and between £5,000 and £7,000 cash after he was stopped for speeding in the city in August 2023.
James Evans, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: 'Strangely, the money has not been counted by the police.'
The 15.67g of drugs Hill was found with had an estimated street value of between £375 and £525.
'The defendant was released under investigation and, unluckily for him, officers caught up with him again when his Volkswagen Golf broke down on Corporation Road,' Mr Evans said.
Police seized cannabis worth around £2,500 on this occasion last March as well as £610 in cash and a mobile phone containing drug-related messages to around 100 contacts.
Hill, of St Julians Road, Newport pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of criminal property.
The defendant has previous convictions for possession of drugs but none for trafficking.
His barrister Gareth Williams told the court: 'He is not a man of previous good character but he is lightly convicted.
'He has a full-time job which is well paid – he provides for his former partner and their child and he has another one on the way.
'The penny seems to have dropped for him now in terms of him making better decisions.'
The defendant had stayed out of trouble with police since his last arrest 15 months ago, Mr Williams added.
Judge Lucy Crowther told Hill she believed he was capable of being rehabilitated in the community.
The defendant was jailed for 20 months with the sentence suspended for two years.
He will have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Hill is set to face a proceeds of crime hearing in October.
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