Nightclub cocaine dealer also attacked pregnant girlfriend
Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini said police were contacted by CCTV officers in Carmarthen at just after midnight on New Year's Day in 2023 after two men were spotted exchanging packages on Queen Street before entering a nightclub.
Cousins Alex John and Joshua Jenkins were arrested. John had four bags of cocaine weighing a total of 1.3 grams and two bags of cannabis, whilst Jenkins had six bags of cocaine totalling 2.54 grams.
John claimed the drugs were for his personal use, but Jenkins told officers he had been forced to sell drugs after being threatened by drugs gang – and the drugs found on his cousin were also his.
Drug paraphernalia was found at the pair's homes, whilst messages on their phones showed their involvement in dealing cocaine and cannabis from mid-2022.
The court heard Jenkins, 30, of Station View in Tumble, had seven previous convictions for 10 offences – including one for cannabis possession in 2023. 21-year-old John, of Lon Y Prior in St Clears, had two convictions for six offences.
John was further charged with controlling and coercive behaviour against his partner and criminal damage.
Ms Carpanini said John got together with his partner in October last year, but after she went travelling abroad for six weeks the defendant became verbally abusive and would call her derogatory names.
On New Year's Day, John was 'extremely intoxicated' and an argument broke out. He then grabbed his partner – who was pregnant with his child – off the sofa and threw her to the floor.
Drug dealer Alex John also attacked his pregnant girlfriend. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
In a statement read out by Ms Carpanini, the victim said she had been 'constantly on edge' around John.
'I now realise that this relationship wasn't healthy,' she said.
He also damaged a door after a drunken argument broke out at his partner's dad's home on January 25.
Both defendants admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis. John further admitted possession with intent to supply cannabis, as well as coercive control and criminal damage.
Mr Jenkins, appearing for Jenkins, said the defendant using drugs since he was 16 'has essentially corrupted his lifestyle'.
He said Jenkins racked up a drug debt of around £3,000, and he began dealing in order to repay this after he and his family were threatened.
Mr Jenkins said the offences were over two years old, and the defendant was now 'unrecognisable' after he 'managed to break his connection to drugs'.
Joshua Jenkins began dealing after falling into debt with a drugs gang. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
David Singh, appearing for John, acknowledged the defendant faced a 'lengthy' spell in prison.
He added that the drug offences were of some age, and asked the court to consider John's immaturity at the time – having been aged 19 when he was arrested.
'When you two both got involved in selling Class A drugs in particular, both of you would have known full well what would happen to you when you were caught,' said Judge Paul Thomas KC.
'That was a decision you both took.'
Turning to John, he said: 'You exhibited horrible violent behaviour towards a woman with whom you were in a relationship and whom I have just found out was pregnant.'
Jenkins was jailed for a total of two-and-a-half years, whilst John was sentenced to two years and three months for the drug offences, with an additional two months for the offences against his partner.
She was granted a four-year restraining order against him.
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