Drug dealer and girlfriend jailed after Instagram photos gaffe
A DRUG dealer and his girlfriend have been jailed after she gave the game away by posting pictures of their extravagant holidays on social media.
Mark Price bought himself an Audi, while his girlfriend Emily Lock splashed his drugs money on designer clothing and accessories, then published pictures of her purchases on Instagram.
Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court, prosecutor Roger Griffiths said the images Lock shared “portrayed an extravagant lifestyle”.
The court heard her spending habits were inconsistent with her £10,000 a year salary from her job in Lidl.
The court heard the couple went on holidays costing around £50,000 to Amsterdam, Paris, Alicante and Dubai and also had a trip booked to Thailand.
During a raid, police officers found high-end clothes including Vivienne Westwood handbags and Gucci sunglasses worth about the same again.
Lock’s barrister Andrew Taylor said: “She liked the high life.”
Police raided Lock’s home in September 2017 and found a plastic bag containing 110g of cocaine at 83% purity. They seized his phone, which was found to contain a message to co-defendant Kyle Crowley, boasting of making up to £1,600 a week from dealing cocaine. Officers also found a receipt for his Audi.
The court heard he took out a £33,000 loan by fraudulently stating he was employed by a construction company that had actually gone bust.
Price, 27, from Coed-Y-Wennol, Caerphilly, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine and fraud.
Jeffrey Jones, defending, suggested his client was immature and stressed he had no criminal record, adding: “He has made a significant mistake.” Price was jailed for seven years.
Police searched Lock’s home and found designer clothing, jewellery, watches, bags and other accessories – some belonging to her and some to her boyfriend. When she was interviewed by the police, Lock stated she had no idea her boyfriend was a cocaine dealer, she thought he was a builder.
The 22-year-old, from Cae Du Mawr in Llanbradach, Caerphilly, admitted acquiring criminal property.
Mr Taylor said she was in the second year of a criminology degree and had hoped to work for the Probation Service. He said she was devastated by her arrest and described her as “incredibly naive”, adding: “She has lost everything.” She was sent to prison for 15 months.
Police raided Crowley and his partner Dionne Thomas’ home in > Llanbradach, Caerphilly, and found 12 cannabis plants with a potential street value of up to nearly £8,000.
Officers also discovered £4,000 in cash, which Thomas admitted hiding.
Crowley, 28, from Plasturtwyn Terrace, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, producing cannabis and supplying cannabis.
Thomas, 25, from the same address, admitted acquiring criminal property.
Crowley was jailed for five years, while Thomas, who had no previous convictions, was given a community order requiring her to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Analysis of Price’s phone also led the police to Christopher Morgan and they raided his home in Hengoed on January 5, where they found 30 cannabis plants in his attic.
In interview, Morgan stated all the cannabis plants were for his personal use and denied any involvement in drug dealing.
The 30-year-old, from Greenhill Close in Pen-Y-Bryn, later admitted producing and supplying cannabis.
He was sent to prison for 20 months.