The drug known as miaow miaow was blighting west Wales and usage had reached epidemic proportions, a judge said on Friday.

Judge Peter Heywood was speaking at Swansea crown court as he sentenced two men caught dealing in the drug, full name methylmethcathinone.

Frank Phillips, prosecuting, told the court how police searched a Vauxhall Astra outside Tenby Leisure Centre at 2.30am on December 28, 2013.

Robert Attwell was driving, Aeron Penniket was the front seat passenger and Heather Chambers was in the back.

Officers found 5.1grams of miaow miaow in the glove compartment and Penniket admitted the drug belonged to him, claiming that it was plant food.

Mr Phillips said Chambers was arrested later and transported to a police station in the caged area of the same police vehicle that had been used to carry Penniket. She pointed out a bag with traces of white powder in it, which turned out to be miaow miaow.

During a police interview Attwell admitted driving Penniket to Port Talbot about 15 times to buy drugs.

Penniket, a scaffolder, was “less forthcoming” but eventually admitted joining some of the drug runs.

Attwell, aged 22, of Ridgeway View, St Florence, and Penniket, 26, of Lewis Street, Pembroke Dock, admitted being concerned in the supply of miaow miaow.

Judge Heywood said he was aware of the effect that miaow miaow was having on communities in west Wales.

And now so was Penniket, he added, as he had found himself having to lie to his young daughter that he was working away when in fact he was in jail.

Penniket, who is serving a prison sentence for other offending, was jailed for six months.

Attwell was sentenced to six months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work for the community.