Cardiff Crown Court Sentencing Results

Jamie Christopher, 22, acted as a courier for Nicholas Gale. On 14 July 2022, he received distribution of 18 kilos of high purity cocaine collected by Spencer Perks. He was arrested on the same day, with police seizing 12 kilos of cocaine, cash, counting machine, encrypted device, and chat groups for distribution on behalf of Gale. He was also in possession of cannabis.

Jake Garland, 28, was a customer of Nicholas Gale with his own wholesale cocaine distribution network. On 14 July 2022, he received distribution of 18 kilos of high purity cocaine collected by Spencer Perks from Gale’s supplier. He was arrested on 27 September 2022 at his home where police recovered cocaine, digital scales, and over £55,000 in cash.

Nicholas Gale, 31, ran a large scale cocaine and heroin network dealing throughout Wales. On 14 July 2022, he arranged for the collection of 18 kilos of high purity cocaine via encrypted platforms. He was arrested on the same day, with police seizing 12 kilos of cocaine, cash, counting machine, encrypted device, and instruction notes. The device contained evidence of his leading role in the OCG.

From 2014 to 2018, Joanne Hughes, a 48-year-old woman from Porthcawl, set up her own accountancy firm and deceitfully tricked three small businesses into a tax payment scam. She stole £280,000 by reassuring clients that their payments were for HMRC, but instead diverted the funds to her own bank accounts. An investigation began in 2019 after one business's new accountants discovered irregularities in their books.

Emma Flower, 39, stole a vulnerable woman's bank card and drained her account of £16,000 until it was empty. She was employed as a carer for New Directions Care and Support and was responsible for providing care to a woman who suffered from learning difficulties, was illiterate, had arthritis and was wheelchair bound. While the defendant's duties included helping the victim with her shopping, she was not authorised to use or take possession of her bank card. Despite this she took the woman's card and withdrew funds over a six month period. The fraud came to light when another carer noticed there was a lack of food or heating in the victim's home and when her bank statements were checked, there had been a number of withdrawals from her account. The defendant, of Blaenavon, was seen on CCTV footage using the victim's card to withdraw money from her account from a cash machine at an Abergavenny garage.

Taylor Barry, 18, from Riverside, was driving a black BMW 1 series with suspected cloned number plates in the Riverside area of Cardiff on Wednesday, August 2 at around 4.50pm. Officers from South Wales Police Roads Policing Team attempted to stop the vehicle at traffic lights on Clare Road. Barry tried to make off by driving forward and then reversing at speed, colliding with two other cars. No one was injured. Barry was arrested in the driver's seat. A blue package containing numerous wraps of Class A drugs was found close to the car, and further items linked to drug dealing such as tick lists, digital scales, white powder, seal bags, and mobile phones were seized from their home addresses.

Antonio Oracko, 19, from Cathays, was a passenger in a black BMW 1 series with suspected cloned number plates in the Riverside area of Cardiff on Wednesday, August 2 at around 4.50pm. Officers from South Wales Police Roads Policing Team attempted to stop the vehicle at traffic lights on Clare Road. The driver tried to make off by driving forward and then reversing at speed, colliding with two other cars. No one was injured. Oracko ran off but was detained a short distance away. He was in possession of £454, and a mobile phone containing messages about the supply of Class A drugs was found in the car. A blue package containing numerous wraps of Class A drugs was found close to the car, and further items linked to drug dealing such as tick lists, digital scales, white powder, seal bags, and mobile phones were seized from their home addresses.

Rhian Horsey, 55, stole up to £300,000 from a 100-year-old woman between 2011 and 2017. She cared for her victim in Cardiff and was trusted to use her credit cards to withdraw cash on her behalf. The defendant, of Y Park, Groesfaen, Pontyclun, abused her position of trust to carry out sudden and significant withdrawals of thousands of pounds and pocketed the cash, which she used to spend on luxury holidays for her and her family. She also falsified cheques which she paid to herself and made bank transfers from the victim's account to her own account. The theft came to light after the victim's daughter became concerned at the frequency and amounts of cash withdrawals from her mother's account and investigated the matter.

Leigh Elston, 35, from the Penpedairheol area, was sentenced for possession of drugs with intent to supply. He has allegedly breached his licence conditions following his release and has been recalled to prison.

Barfah Joof, 22, from Hilda Lockhart Walk, Lambeth, travelled from London to Cardiff with a significant quantity of Class A drugs. He was arrested in Cardiff on February 10, 2015. He denied possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin but was found guilty following a trial.

Jason Agyekum-Sah, 22, from Peckford Place, Brixton, travelled from London to Cardiff with a significant quantity of Class A drugs. He was arrested in Cardiff on February 10, 2015, carrying 32g of drugs worth £3,000. He denied possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin but was found guilty following a trial.

Officers executed a warrant at the defendant's home in January 2021 following concerns raised by the local community. The defendant and a co-defendant were found in possession of cocaine with a street value of £3,590 and heroin worth £2,000, along with scales and £580 in cash. In April 2021, the defendant was stopped again in Maesteg and found in possession of heroin, cash and a mobile phone. A further search at the home found heroin with a street value of £400, scales and £1,100 in cash.

Elson Sinanaj was found with more than £16,000 worth of drugs after officers witnessed a drug deal in Cathays, Cardiff. He was working as a drug dealer in return for accommodation after becoming homeless.

Daryl Bees, 33, of Tonypandy, was stopped by police in Tonypandy on February 22 and found carrying 180g of cocaine with a street value exceeding £20,000. Examination of his seized mobile phone revealed messages showing he had been actively involved in supplying cocaine from November 29, 2025.

David Griffiths met two women on dating sites and falsely presented himself as a former Army helicopter pilot with a distinguished military background, claiming a high salary, substantial savings and a valuable home. He persuaded the women to give him money towards fake holidays and other items but spent it on himself, defrauding them of £15,000 in total. One relationship ended after relatives discovered conveyancing documents revealing his fraud; he then misled another woman with similar false claims and took money towards a fake safari holiday. He admitted fraud.

David Hall, director of Debts Reduced Limited, Linked Finance Limited and a firm in his own name, charged customers £10 per month for an additional 'Cover Plan' product without any contractual basis or documentation informing customers. The firms ceased new business in May 2014 and all monies were returned to customers. Hall was sentenced following an investigation by South Wales Police and FCA cooperation.

Declan Carr, 27, was part of an organised crime network operating across south-east Wales supplying cocaine in Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool using dedicated phone lines to send bulk text messages. Gwent Police executed drugs warrants at four addresses in the Bettws area of Newport in 2024 following intelligence from a seized mobile phone. Carr was detained in July 2024. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court.

Declan Jones, 22, from Brynmawr, was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs at Cardiff Crown Court in May 2024 and jailed for six years in June 2024. He later failed to return to HMP Prescoed, Monmouthshire, on 20 December 2024, prompting a police appeal. He and three other men were jailed for a total of 27 years.

Deacon Facey was seen by surveillance officers on June 30 looking nervous while straddling a bicycle near City Road, Cardiff. Officers believed a drug transaction was taking place and detained him after he crossed the road to join two men. He was found with a Nokia handset, £55 in cash and pregabalin tablets. A manual trawl of the phone showed messages indicating it was an operational drugs line for crack cocaine and heroin. He later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, and to possessing a class C drug.

Dean Vowles assisted in fraud by pretending to be a pension holder on the phone, enabling withdrawals from the pension fund. He was found guilty of fraud by false representation following a trial.

Corey Baldwin, of Cefn Fforest, Blackwood, ran a cocaine supply operation in Blackwood between May 15, 2025 and August 10, 2025. Caught red-handed supplying customers outside the Moggridge Arms on High Street in Blackwood town centre at around 11.10pm on August 9, 2025. One buyer seen snorting cocaine nearby. Found with cocaine (street value £380-£640), £195 cash, small quantities of ecstasy and ketamine. Mobile phone analysis showed he coordinated drops to users and used others to sell on his behalf, with messages like 'I’ve sold those for you.'

Police investigating a suspected drug deal searched a flat in Cardiff and found a loaded firearm containing 11 live cartridges, along with one kilogram of cocaine and half a kilogram of heroin. Preece was found in the flat and arrested.

Courtney Davies ran a drug line in Newport, sending out text messages advertising class A drugs including crack cocaine. Police discovered his number on another mobile phone during a separate drugs investigation and later arrested him in Newport on 16 September. Officers seized two mobile phones, £2,476 in cash and 7.87g of cannabis. CCTV showed him topping up credit on one of the phones. He admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and possession of cannabis.

Craig Gibson provided false information to obtain motor finance between 2020 and 2022. He made four applications; two were successful for £12,500 and £39,000, and two unsuccessful applications were for £18,000 and £64,500. The fraudulent finance was used to fund his gambling habit.

South Wales Police launched an investigation in 2021 after receiving intelligence that drugs were being imported into the area. Officers traced the address from intercepted parcels and carried out a search of the property in Bridgend, where they found Bishop present and recovered a significant quantity of drugs. During questioning, Bishop admitted he had purchased the substances on the dark web.

Daniel Merry was jailed for four years and four months at Cardiff Crown Court for cocaine and cannabis supply. Police stopped a van linked to him over a missing MOT, and a later search found cash, a crossbow and messages connecting him to drug supply.

Robert Mark Davies, the former head of finance at homelessness charity Cyrenians Cymru, carried out a £1.3m fraud by forging invoices at the Swansea-based charity. The fraud took place between 4 June 2008 and 11 November 2014. He used the stolen funds for personal expenses including boats, airfares, and staying at The Savoy hotel in London. The charity suffered severe financial impact, going into liquidation in May 2015 owing £915,000, with most projects transferred to other charities. He pleaded guilty to fraud by deception at Cardiff Magistrates Court in February 2017.