Two police officers who noticed a strong smell of drugs while on foot patrol in a Pembrokeshire village, uncovered a drugs ring supplying both cannabis and cocaine, a court has heard.

Two men involved in the operation were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday to a total of more than four and a half years in prison for their roles in supplying cocaine and cannabis in north Pembrokeshire.

Three others were sentenced for being involved in the supply of cannabis to others.

The court heard how the officers had entered the property where a ‘strong smell of cannabis’ was coming from.

There they found John Miles, 50, in an upstairs bedroom. A search of the property revealed 269 grammes of cannabis, worth around £3,000. The defendant said the drugs were for his own personal use.

A mobile phone and £510 in cash were also found in the bedroom. The phone was examined and messages revealed he had been supplying cannabis to others and that he was supplying cocaine to a smaller degree.

Former gardener, Miles, now of Lower Kingswood, Surrey, pleaded guilty to possession of a Class B with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of controlled Class A and Class B drugs.

His pleas were entered on the basis that he was in terrible pain due to back problems and had long standing mental health problems.

He started using cannabis and cocaine to deal with pain and anxiety. He had supplied three people, who were known to him, with cocaine for a very small, or sometimes no, profit.

Mr Murphy defending father-of-four Miles said that he had supplied three people, one a family member, with cocaine. He would sell cannabis to buy cocaine which he would take ‘at the lowest level one could expect to see’ to try and alleviate his back pain.

In Miles’ mobile phone were messages confirming that he would buy four or five ounces of drugs from Daniel Ferman, of Maes y Mynydd Newport, and then divide them into smaller amounts to sell to others.

Ferman, 32, was arrested at his home in Newport and £770 in cash and an amount of cannabis seized. He reused to give police access to his phone, but his bank records showed substantial transfers over the past two years.

He was due to face trial but changed his plea beforehand. Admitting being concerned in the supply of Class A cocaine between June 2019 and March 2020 and a further charge of being concerned in the supply of Class B cannabis between June 2019 and April 2020.

Mr Harper, defending Ferman, said that he now had ‘completely changed his lifestyle and behaviour. He looks after his young child, works voluntarily in a garage and helps a neighbour who has cancer.

A further police raid in June 2020 uncovered more than £3,000 in cash and a mobile phone with messages indicating that Brian Kerley, 30, of Clos yr Helyg, Crymych, was involved with Ferman in the supply of cannabis. A bank card belonging to Kerley was also found at Ferman’s home.

Kerley was convicted in October last year of being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug.

Mr Tarrant, defending Kerley, said that his client exhibited genuine remorse. He had had a mental health diagnosis, which had helped him shed light on previous behaviour, and was receiving treatment for this.

The phone records showed that two more men, Ben Goldfuss Tanner of Gaerludd, Crymych and James Tinker, 40, of Parc y Trap Road, Adpar, Newcastle Emlyn, were supplied with cannabis by Miles and then sold on amounts.

Scales with a residue of THC were fund in Tinker’s home as well as messages indicating that he bought cannabis from Miles for personal use with some being sold on to others.

Tinker admitted supplying the drug from Feb 5 to April 52020, on the basis that much of it was for his own personal use but that he would on occasion supply known friends and associates to fund his own habit.

Mr Pulling for Tinker said that he had no previous convictions and had dealt with tragedy in his life.

In Goldfuss Tanner’s home in Crymych £65 worth of cannabis and £14 worth of mushrooms were found as well as scales and a mobile phone with messages showing that he bought cannabis from Miles and then sold it to friends.

Goldfuss Tanner, 23, admitted supplying cannabis on the basis that it was only to a close circle of friends on a non-profit basis.

Mr Singh defending him said that he had no previous convictions, a stable employment history and was at low risk of re-offending.

Judge Richards sent Miles to prison for two years and three months. Ferman was given a sentence of two years and four months in prison. Both will serve half of these in custody before being released on licence.

She gave Kerley a 41-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months; 100 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation requirement.

Tinker was given a one-year community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and a 10 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Goldfuss- Tanner was also given a 12-month community order with 50 hours of unpaid work.