An award-winning barber was found with more than £1,000-worth of cocaine and a Stanley knife when he was searched by police. Messages on his phone revealed he was also offering to supply cannabis and Xanax.
Anthony Hancock, 37, was detained by police in Swansea at 10.15pm on November 18, 2021, having ditched his car and run away. He is a well-known barber in the city having won the Welsh Men's Style Awards in 2013 while he came third in the British Barber Awards in 2018.
A sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court heard police attempted to pull over Hancock's black Ford Focus in Pentregethin Road, Gendros, but he accelerated away at speed. He drove into a cul-de-sac in Ravenhill before leaving the car and running past the police vehicle in the direction of Carmarthen Road.
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The defendant was detained and handcuffed as police searched him and found an iPhone and a Nokia burner phone. They asked him if he had drugs to which he responded: "Whatever's in the bag... cocaine." Inside the bag was a small clear bag containing white powder and three socks containing a total of 19 bags of cocaine.
Prosecutor Georgia Donohue said Hancock was also found in possession of a black Stanley knife and £740 in cash as well as the phones. A search of the defendant's home in Geiriol Road, Townhill, resulted in two scales containing traces of cocaine and a quantity of snap bags being discovered.
The total amount of cocaine seized weighed 13.85g with a 72% purity. The potential street value of the drugs was between £1,040 and £1,140. Hancock's mobile phone was examined and messages were found in which the defendant made offers to supply cannabis and Xanax.
Hancock was interviewed by police and claimed the drugs were for his own personal use and said he forgot the knife was in his wallet. He later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, two counts of offering to supply Class B and C srugs, and possession of a bladed article. The court heard he had one previous conviction for drug-driving.
In mitigation Hywel Davies was a "successful" self-employed barber but lost his business as a result of the Covid pandemic. Mr Davies said: "With no source of income, with a wife and three children to care for, he foolishly became involved in the supply of Class A drugs to support his family." The barrister said if the defendant should receive a custodial sentence, his family would suffer. Mr Davies also raised the fact the case had been delayed by more than a year, which he said "simply isn't good enough".
Recorder Christian Jowett told Hancock custody was "unavoidable." He sentenced him to a total of 42 months imprisonment of which he will serve half in custody and the remainder on licence.
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