A man whose phone went off with the ringtone ‘Hello, I’m your drug dealer’ while he was being detained by police has been jailed for selling drugs. Who would have seen that coming, eh?
David Owens was being arrested on 29 January 2020 for flogging drugs in Swansea, when his phone began to ring with the somewhat brazen ringtone.
The 48-year-old was arrested alongside customer Matthew Wright after plain-clothes officers spotted the two men taking part in an ‘exchange’ and went over to investigate.
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The officers identified themselves by saying ‘police’, prompting Wright to try and make a run for it, during which he was seen to discard a package.
Wright was later caught and detained, while the package was recovered and found to contain £150 worth of heroin.
Unlike his customer, Owens made no attempt to escape and was arrested on the spot, during which his phone rang with the ringtone ‘Hello, I’m your drug dealer’.
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While being searched, Owens appeared ‘agitated’ before cops discovered £180 cash on him.
During a subsequent search of his home, police uncovered wraps of heroin worth around £900 along with three sets of weighing scales, a list of money owed to him by customers, and £7,646 in cash, Wales Online reports.
Owens appeared in Swansea Crown Court this week, having previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of heroin, and possession of criminal property (the money he was found to have).
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The court heard that Owens had 26 previous convictions for 159 offences, including possession of cannabis, perverting the course of justice and weapons offences.
His lawyer, Anthony O'Connell, said Owens, who has six children, has an ‘addictive personality’ when it comes to drugs and alcohol and that his life had taken a downward turn after ‘getting in with the wrong people’.
He also stressed how long ago the offences took place and the length of time it had taken for the sentencing to go ahead.
Recorder Christian Jowett sentenced Owens to four years and three months in prison – of which up to half must be served in custody before being released on licence for the remainder of the sentence.
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Wright, who had 24 previous convictions for 46 offences, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and was given a £300 fine.
Claire Reid