Cocaine dealers 'spread misery' in seaside town

A MAN who had his benefits stopped “did what he had to do” to make ends meet, a court has heard.

- JASON EVANS Reporter

Luke Hutton began peddling cocaine to earn money, and when he was arrested by police, he was found to have almost £9,000 in cash in his pocket.

Noting Hutton’s comments to a probation officer about doing what he had to do, a judge at Swansea Crown Court told the 25-year-old that the court would do what it had to do to take drug dealers off the streets. Hutton was jailed for three years, while his dealing partner Lee Walsh got 32 months.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court that on November 14 this year, police went to Walsh's flat in Aberystwyth to execute a search warrant.

As officers arrived, they saw a group of people outside the property, including Walsh and Hutton.

The court heard that when the defendants saw police approach, they walked away - Walsh was detained at the property while Hutton ran off but was chased and caught.

When Walsh was searched, he was found to be in possession of a small bag of cannabis, £160 in cash, and a mobile phone. When Hutton was searched, he was found to be carrying £8,795 in cash and a mobile phone.

The prosecutor said Hutton was seen trying to conceal something down his underwear so was strip searched in custody and a wrap of white powder was recovered from his groin area.