Dealer, 30, kept drugs at mum’s city home

A DRUG dealer who lived at his mother’s house was discovered with photos of cocaine and wads of cash when police seized his phone.

James Preece, 30, of Newport, had been selling cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and Valium to a small customer base for six months before he was visited by officers at his home on January 2.

After police forced entry to the property in Oak Road, Rogerstone, which Preece shared with his mother, the defendant became “obstructive” and had to be taken to the floor.

He later calmed down and told officers: “There is weed in the house.”

A search was then carried out at the property which revealed a bag of cannabis worth £80, £790 in cash, two scales which had white powder residue, small plastic bags and a number of phones.

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall told a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court yesterday that when arrested and cautioned, Preece responded “Yeah, OK.”

Analysis of the phones showed clear evidence the defendant had been involved in the supply of cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and valium between June 2020 and January 2021.

Ms Pickthall said: “He notified customers when he would have stock and sent out text bombs to a number of contacts in his phone.

“There were also videos of a large quantity of cash on a bed and the defendant said there was more than £4,500.

“There were also photographs of a bag of cocaine and a video of the defendant snorting cocaine.”

Preece, now of Alexandra Road, Newport, initially denied being involved in supplying but he later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A, B and C drugs and possession of Class B drugs.

The court heard he had more than 35 convictions – but none of these was related to drug dealing.

In mitigation, defence barrister Gareth Williams said his client’s operation was “unsophisticated” and his client base amounted to around 20 people.

He said Preece had been dealing in order to fund his own drug habit.

He accepted that immediate custody would be inevitable but asked for the shortest sentence possible.

Sentencing, Recorder Duncan Bould said: “Your motivation was to support your own use of drugs and to make money and there’s indication you made relatively significant amounts.

“Class A drugs can be very dangerous to those who take them.”

Preece was sentenced to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment.