A couple were found with cocaine and cannabis as well as a phone containing messages related to the supply of Class A drugs after being pulled over by police. The boyfriend was the primary dealer while the girlfriend drove him and "turned a blind eye", a court heard.
Liam Caddick-Cairns, 25, and Tiffany Taylor, 25, were stopped by police in Cwmbran on June 23 after their Vauxhall Insignia was seen stopping near a known drug user and exchanging items before pulling away. Taylor was driving the car and Caddick-Cairns was a front seat passenger.
The vehicle pulled into a car park in St Dials when the defendants were confronted and the car was searched. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard a bag of green vegetation and a bag of white powder was found in the passenger door as well as a further bag of green vegetation in a compartment under the steering wheel.
Read more: Retired teacher dies in hospital days after alleged assault
Prosecutor Emma Harris said the substances were found to be 2g of cocaine and 4.9g of mature female flowering head cannabis. The total worth of the drugs found was between £195 and £255.
An iPhone belonging to Taylor was also seized and both defendants were arrested. Caddick-Cairns initially gave a false name to police but later told them his true identity. he said: "It's got nothing to do with her, it's all me, it's her phone and my sim." The iPhone was analysed and found to contain messages offering cocaine and cannabis for sale.
Taylor, of Windsor Road, Cwmbran, said the cannabis found was for their own use but the cocaine belonged to Caddick-Cairns, of Morlais Street, Merthyr Tydfil. She said they had been in a relationship for four months and she was aware her boyfriend was involved in drug dealing but "turned a blind eye".
The defendants both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis and being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis. Taylor was of previous good character but Caddick-Cairns has numerous previous convictions and was on licence at the time of his arrest having previously been sentenced to 32 months imprisonment for possession with intent to supply cocaine.
It was agreed between the prosecution and defence that Caddick-Cairns played a significant role while Taylor fell into a lesser role. The court heard Caddick-Cairns struggled after his release from prison and after being evicted from his accommodation he "fell back into the arms of old associates" and resumed taking drugs. Taylor was unpresented but Judge Shomon Khan said he would not be sending her to prison.
The judge said: "The amounts are not huge amounts of drugs but clearly you were involved in street dealing – a serious matter. You both understand the harm drugs cause to the user, whether Class A or B, and it doesn't just harm them but their family."
Caddick-Cairns was sentenced to four years imprisonment. Taylor was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 110 hours unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
READ NEXT:
-
Man bit chunk out of bouncer's hand after being thrown out of bar
- Thug caught on CCTV stamping on hotel receptionist's head in disgusting attack
-
Son took £26,000 from his elderly mother's bank account to buy cocaine
-
Jealous thug threatened to 'strangle the life out of' ex-partner
-
Drug dealer found with heroin and crack after being bitten by sniffer dog
You can sign up to our regular Crime and Punishment newsletter here while this interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area:
