Man dealing drugs ‘to pay off cocaine debt’

A DEALER who was discovered with 26g of cannabis when his car was stopped by police has been jailed.

Rhys Hannam, 24, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to supplying class B drugs and possession of class B drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard a green Nissan driven by Hannam was stopped by police in Tonyrefail on January 29.

Prosecutor Ian Colvin said when the defendant came out of the car, officers could smell cannabis and they searched the vehicle.

They found five bags from the driver’s side of the vehicle and a further 10 bags of cannabis in other parts of the car, as well as a cannabis grinder. The 15 bags had a combined weight of 26.4g and a street value of £410.

Officers also found a mobile phone which was found to contain text messages which referred to the trading of drugs.

When arrested, Hannam admitted possessing the drugs to sell them but claimed he had not been doing it for personal gain but to pay off his own cocaine drug debt.

Defence barrister Nicholas Gedge said his client had been on the straight and narrow due to a long-term relationship but after this ended, Hannam fell back into using drugs.

Mr Gedge said: “He found himself using cocaine and cannabis and fell into debt to a drug supplier and this is how he found himself selling cannabis.”

Sentencing, Judge Stephen Hopkins QC told the defendant: “You helped to perpetuate the distribution of cannabis in the Rhondda area and it’s my view that your role can properly be described as significant and at a high level.”

Hannam, of Edmondstown Road, Tonypandy, was sentenced 18 months in jail.