Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Sentencing Results

On March 26, 2025, Kyle Hughes, 31, of Penrhys Avenue, Tylorstown, was stopped by police in his Renault Megane and searched, recovering £7,000 in cash. A search of his home revealed a cannabis farm with 17 plants. Phone evidence showed recent financial transfer from Sara Qamber and involvement in drug supply.

On March 26, 2025, around 6.45pm, Matthew Perkins, 43, of Upper Gynor Place, Ynyshir, Porth, was arrested after paying Kyle Hughes £25,000 for involvement in the supply of Class A drugs. A large quantity of cocaine was found at his property.

Ashley Murphy, 37, of Cefn Bryn, Trebanog, Porth, was present during the arrest on March 26, 2025. Phone searches revealed evidence of active involvement in the supply of Class A drugs, including offers for sales.

Sara Qamber, 30, of Park View, Llanharan, Pontyclun, was present during the arrest on March 26, 2025. Phone evidence showed messages discussing drug transactions and a recent financial transfer to Kyle Hughes.

On March 26, 2025, officers from South Wales Police's Organised Crime Unit searched the property of Stephen Williams, 41, on East Road, Tylorstown, Ferndale, where they found a locked safe containing 1,681 grams of cocaine, weighing scales, sandwich bags for packaging drugs, and other drug paraphernalia. Williams claimed the safe belonged to Kyle Hughes.

Barry Patrick, 38, from Kent, was involved in operating an illegal Valium factory at a vehicle repair garage in Rudry Road, Newport, where over 200,000 tablets of MDMA (Class A) and Bromazolam (Class C) were manufactured using pill packaging and labelling machinery. Additionally, a cannabis cultivation was hidden behind a picture frame in the garage wall, and £50,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home address. The operation was on an industrial scale with a street value of up to £200,000 for the tablets.

Alun Yhnell, 40, from Newport, was involved in operating an illegal Valium factory at a vehicle repair garage in Rudry Road, Newport, where over 200,000 tablets of MDMA (Class A) and Bromazolam (Class C) were manufactured using pill packaging and labelling machinery. A cannabis cultivation was hidden behind a picture frame in the garage wall. The operation was on an industrial scale with a street value of up to £200,000 for the tablets.

James Mosley, 41, from Chepstow, was involved in operating an illegal Valium factory at a vehicle repair garage in Rudry Road, Newport, where over 200,000 tablets of MDMA (Class A) and Bromazolam (Class C) were manufactured using pill packaging and labelling machinery. A cannabis cultivation was hidden behind a picture frame in the garage wall. The operation was on an industrial scale with a street value of up to £200,000 for the tablets.

Leon Patrick, 31, from Kent, was involved in operating an illegal Valium factory at a vehicle repair garage in Rudry Road, Newport, where over 200,000 tablets of MDMA (Class A) and Bromazolam (Class C) were manufactured using pill packaging and labelling machinery. Additionally, a cannabis cultivation was hidden behind a picture frame in the garage wall, and £50,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home address. The operation was on an industrial scale with a street value of up to £200,000 for the tablets.

Alan Pearson, 65, previously of Corporation Road, Newport, committed four offences of fraud by false representation between March and September 2018. He falsely told victims in Chepstow, Bristol, Lydney, and Stourport-on-Severn that they were entitled to government grants for external wall installations, pressuring them into paying discounted fees. He lulled victims into a false sense of security and used unapproved, shoddy builders, leaving their homes in ruins and utter devastation. Victims paid a total of £30,333.12, with one paying £18,759. The scam was uncovered after a complaint to Newport City Council, investigated by Wales Trading Standards and the council's team.

Richard Skelly, 40, of Merthyr Tydfil, was involved in the supply of heroin, crack cocaine, and cocaine. His mobile phone, seized during a police operation in July 2025, contained messages indicating drug dealing, such as requests for 'white' (cocaine), 'gear' (heroin), and '20 bag' (crack cocaine), along with text bombs advertising availability. He was arrested following a search and interviewed but made no comment. After his 17-year marriage ended, he became addicted to heroin, leading to a chaotic life, though he is now drug-free and seeks to become a counsellor.

On June 26, 2025, police raided Dylan Davies' home in Merthyr Tydfil, finding a green bag with 7g of crack cocaine (worth £200-£300), a carrier bag with 168g of cocaine (worth £7,800-£13,000), another bag with 58g of crack cocaine (worth £1,200-£3,000), £300 in cash, and scales with white powder residue. Davies claimed the drugs were for personal use but refused to provide his phone PIN. He resides on Swansea Road.

Kyle Walker, 30, of Alice Crescent, Chepstow, was driving a silver Vauxhall Zafira in Burnt Barn Road, Chepstow, on June 22, 2024, when pulled over by police. He smelled of cannabis and appeared under the influence. A search of the car revealed a bag containing 29g of cannabis and a mobile phone with incriminating messages, including a tick list of debtors and communications consistent with supplying various amounts of cannabis. He had become involved with London-based drug dealers found in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Kurt Lavender, a former Tesco manager, began dealing drugs after losing his job due to mental health problems and facing financial difficulties. On May 22, 2025, police observed him in a blue Peugeot car in a known drug-dealing area in Aberdare, where a transaction occurred. Officers arrested him and found £835 in cash, 6g of cocaine, and cannabis in the vehicle. A search of his home revealed a drug packaging station and additional cannabis. His phone showed messages about supplying cocaine and cannabis over three months, including to a school-aged boy. Police also recovered drug-related items from his brother's house, with total drugs valued at around £5,000.

Samantha Evans allowed her family home to be used for packaging and supplying drugs. Police discovered a drug packaging station in the hallway of the house during a search on May 22, 2025, and found cannabis. Messages on Kurt Lavender's phone indicated her bank details were used for drug-related payments.

Helim Miah, manager of Universal Foods Wholesale in Cardiff, sold halal-labelled chicken to Indian takeaways and restaurants across south Wales, despite suppliers often not providing halal meat. The case emerged in January 2019 when 2,840kg of frozen meat was seized from 20 Bessemer Close in Grangetown, Cardiff. Investigations revealed poor food hygiene, defrosted and refrozen poultry, chicken two years past sell-by date, outdated temperature records, pest activity, and transport of unmarked meat in unclean, unrefrigerated vehicles. Miah claimed he only used pre-processed halal chicken and that processing was handled by Universal Poultry, but he was convicted after a two-week trial.

Joshua Seivwright, 22, attempted to flee from police after exiting a taxi in Newport at 4.55am on April 13, 2025, but stumbled and was detained. He was found in possession of 0.428g of crack cocaine, an iPhone, a Nokia phone, and £501 in cash. The Nokia phone contained 277 messages, including text bombs advertising drugs to customers. A search of his home revealed nothing further. He initially denied supplying drugs and claimed the cash came from a trust fund, but later admitted the offences.

On January 30, 2025, police stopped Gareth Evans's vehicle near Merthyr and found five wraps of heroin. A subsequent search of his home uncovered £850 in cash, heroin sufficient for approximately 700 street deals worth more than £21,000, weighing scales, drug paraphernalia, and 10 boxes of bromazepam pills. Evans had previously been involved in similar offenses and answered 'no comment' during his police interview.

Curtis Price, 29, and Sarah Price, 25, were involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine. They were seen driving at speed in a black BMW at Abercanaid Industrial Estate in Merthyr Tydfil on May 15, where they entered a unit with their children present. Police found 133g of cocaine worth £5,000 to £7,000, 3.32g of heroin worth £345, 67.88g of crack cocaine worth £7,000, and other drugs and paraphernalia. Phones revealed Curtis Price's involvement in supplying class A drugs, with Sarah assisting in deliveries and preparation.

Sarah Price, 25, and Curtis Price, 29, were involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine. They were seen driving at speed in a black BMW at Abercanaid Industrial Estate in Merthyr Tydfil on May 15, where they entered a unit with their children present. Police found 133g of cocaine worth £5,000 to £7,000, 3.32g of heroin worth £345, 67.88g of crack cocaine worth £7,000, and other drugs and paraphernalia. Phones revealed her awareness of the operation and assistance in deliveries and preparation.

Calum Samuel was involved in supplying approximately 1,982g of cocaine between November and December 2024, following his release from prison where he met his co-defendant. He communicated via messages to offer and negotiate sales, including offering half a kilogram for £14,000, and was seen in videos rapping with banknotes and handling cocaine. His involvement was uncovered through phone analysis after an incident where his associate stabbed someone during a drug-related meeting.

Nathaniel Armani, aged 46, from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, acted as a courier for a London-based organised crime group, delivering 11kg of cocaine, 603kg of cannabis, and £1.7million in cash. He was stopped by police on the M6 motorway in October 2023, where £200,000 in cash and incriminating messages, photos, and videos were found in his Audi A6 car. This was part of an investigation codenamed Operation Tender, led by Tarian, into the wholesale supply of Class A and B drugs in south Wales.

Jamie Thomas, 48, was spotted exchanging packages with individuals outside Sports Direct in Caerphilly on April 1, 2025. He was searched and found in possession of 104g of cannabis in snap bags. A subsequent search of his home in Bargoed revealed additional cannabis, drug paraphernalia including six weighing scales and zip lock bags, as well as a machete with a 2.1-foot blade. He claimed the cannabis was for personal use and the machete was for decoration.

Victoria King, while employed as finance manager at Eftech Ltd in Rhigos, Wales, from 2021, abused her position by making 21 fraudulent payments totalling £140,197 to her own account between October 2021 and July 2023. She falsified payments to mimic those of a genuine supplier and paid herself an extra £7,500 monthly on top of her £45,000 annual salary. The fraud was discovered during a financial review after she left the company in April 2023, leading to a police investigation. This offence occurred despite her prior conviction for a similar crime.

Jonathan Hayton, 45, was found in possession of more than £1,000 worth of crack cocaine, £2,215 in cash, weighing scales, empty grip seal bags, and a phone containing a 'tick list' and messages linked to supplying crack cocaine during a police raid at his partner's home in Aberdare on December 18, 2024. He was arrested, and further evidence confirmed his involvement in drug dealing.