In Swansea, a drug dealing father was found to have £8,000 in cash and cocaine valued at over £17,000 hidden under his bed, as revealed in court. Shaun Gwyther was involved in purchasing kilo quantities of cocaine from a contact who imported large amounts of the drug from Amsterdam. When arrested, Gwyther admitted he was simply trying to make ends meet. Sentenced to 52 months in prison, the judge acknowledged there was hope for the 26-year-old defendant, opting not to impose a sentence that would crush him.
The investigation began when police arrested a male in March for drug supply, leading to the discovery of incriminating messages exchanged between the arrested individual and Gwyther. Upon Gwyther’s arrest in July, police found him attempting to leave his residence, dropping bags of cocaine during the encounter. His house was subsequently searched, uncovering a significant amount of cocaine and cash hidden under his bed and in a bedside cabinet.
Messages retrieved from Gwyther’s phones indicated his involvement in buying and selling cocaine, including transactions for kilos of the drug. The court heard he was connected to a group that had smuggled 20kg of cocaine from Amsterdam. Despite his guilty plea, Gwyther received a prison sentence to be served concurrently for possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property.
Gwyther’s defence lawyer mentioned his client’s pre-existing drug problem, exacerbated by losing his job before the Covid pandemic. The judge recognised Gwyther’s potential for rehabilitation, deciding not to deliver a sentence that would crush him. Gwyther was sentenced to 52 months in prison, with the possibility of release on licence after serving half his term.