Drug dealers, racist podcaster and knife attacker jailed

The defendants were accused of drug dealing, stirring up racial hatred, and stabbing a friend in the head.

Here is a round-up of the cases.

Daryl Stephens

Daryl Stephens was caught with almost £1,500 of cannabis stashed in a protein tub in his car in Haverfordwest – while he was already under investigation for drug dealing.

Stephens, 31, formerly of Dolawel in Ystradowen, was pulled over in a Ford Transit on Mill Terrace in Ammanford on July 23 last year, and “smelt strongly of cannabis”.

Daryl Stephens was jailed after being caught drug dealing while already under investigation for the same offence. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

Upon searching his vehicle, officers found 75 grams of cannabis, weighing scales, a cannabis grinder, snap bags, £905 in cash, and two mobile phones which contained drug-related messages.

While on bail for this offence, Stephens was stopped in an MG 4x4 in the Haverfordwest area on September 26.

Officers found 253 grams of cannabis in a protein tub, 1.2 grams of cocaine across two snap bags, and nine grams of cannabis split into two bags.

Stephens, now of Keats Grove in Haverfordwest, admitted the offences on the day of trial, and was sentenced to a total of 22 months in prison.

Andrew Sackett

Andrew Sackett was jailed after stabbing his “drinking pal” in the head in an argument over milk.

Sackett, 44, was drinking at his friend of 20 years’ home on Penybanc Road in Ammanford, and an argument broke out in the early hours of Monday, August 1.

The victim thought the argument started over the taking of some milk.

Andrew Sackett stabbed his friend in the head after an argument over milk. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

Sackett “smashed up” the victim’s laptop and television, and punched the victim in the ribs, and stabbed him multiple times in the head with a knife, leaving him “bleeding profusely”.

When the police arrived, Sackett was “slurring his words” and was “aggressive and abusive towards them” and was “shouting at [the victim] saying he owed him £10,000”. The victim denied owing Sackett any money.

Judge Catherine Richards jailed Sackett, of Pontypridd, for five years, and ordered the defendant will serve an additional five years on extended licence. He was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order which bars him from contacting the victim and from entering Ammanford.

James Allchurch

Racist podcaster James Allchurch’s views were branded as “a stain on our humanity” as a judge sent him to prison.

Allchurch, of Gelli, near Llawhaden, was convicted of ten out of 15 counts of distributing audio material to stir up racial hatred over a two-year period.

The offences related to podcasts uploaded between May 17, 2019, and March 18, 2021, to his website – Radio Aryan, which was later renamed Radio Albion.

James Allchurch’s views were branded as “a stain on our humanity”. (Image: South Wales Police)

The jury had heard that Allchurch, 51, was an “avowed racist” who suggested creating “safe spaces” outside cities for “indigenous Britons”, and questioned that gas chambers were used by the Nazis during the holocaust.

He had also made comments on the podcast calling black people “repelling”, saying that mixed race couples were the result of a “fetish”, and told police: “Any sensible person would reach the same conclusion as Adolf Hitler”.

“The content of these podcasts was vile,” said Judge Huw Rees as he jailed Allchurch to two-and-a-half years in prison, running concurrently for each of the ten offences..

John Miles

John Miles has been jailed after being found with around £3,000-worth of cannabis at his home.

Two police officers noticed a “strong smell of cannabis” coming from a house while on foot patrol, and inside they found Miles, along with 269 grams of cannabis – worth around £3,000.

The officers also recovered £510 in cash and a mobile phone, which had messages confirming purchases of four or five ounces of cannabis from Daniel Ferman, and other messages which showed he was supplying cannabis to others – and, to a smaller degree, cocaine.

Miles, now of Lower Kingswood in Surrey, was jailed for two years and three months.

Daniel Ferman

Following the arrest of John Miles, officers identified Daniel Ferman as supplying him cannabis.

Ferman, 32, of Maes y Mynydd, Newport, was arrested at his home in Newport and £770 in cash and an amount of cannabis seized.

He refused 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 to being concerned in the supply of cocaine between June 2019 and March 2020 and a further charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis between June 2019 and April 2020.

He was jailed for two years and four months in prison.