Dealer covered her 'hole in wall" stash with poster  

A BURRY Port drug dealer hid cannabis behind a poster in a hole in her bedroom wall, a court heard.

Llanelli magistrates heard that 22-year-old Jodie Hughes had been struggling with money and had turned to drug dealing.

Hughes, of Elkington Road, pleaded guilty to possession with intention to supply.

Prosecutor Gerald Neave said that on Saturday, June 22, at 4.10pm, officers had attended a property on Heol Elfed in Burry Port on an unconnected matter.

The court heard that when in the property, the officers had informed the defendant that there was a "strong smell of cannabis".

Magistrates were told that Hughes had then led the officers to a bedroom in the property.

Mr Neave said: "She removed a poster from the wall and put her hand into a hole in the wall and removed 11 seperate bags containing this cannabis material."

The prosecutor said that at the scene, Hughes had said, "I just needed the money".

He added that in police interview she said that each bag contained 0.8 grams of cannabis.

The magistrates were read an extract from her interview where she said: "I suffer with depression and I don't get much money. I had a stupid idea to get cannabis and start selling it."

Hughes, it was said, had organised her drug deals by phone, with buyers texting or calling her, and she had been selling each bag for £10.

Concluding her police interview the court heard she had said: "I've just been really stupid. I'm really sorry. I'll never do it again."

Mitigating, Steve Lloyd called for Tim Jenkins of the probation service to read a report into Hughes.

Mr Jenkins said: "It has been quite an eventful year for Miss Hughes."

The probation service said Hughes had appeared in court on May 13 for assault, then on July 25 for assault, which led to her receiving a suspended sentence order.

Mr Lloyd stressed the fact that this incident had pre-dated the suspended sentence order.

Mr Jenkins said: "She got off to a good start but she was suffering emotionally from the death of her grandmother, then later found out in August that her partner had committed suicide."

The court was told that since this, Hughes had been referred for help as a result of the order, including bereavement counselling.

"Lots of positives are coming out of this order," added Mr Jenkins.

Hughes was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with one requirement - 50 hours of unpaid work.

She must also pay £40 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk 07/10/2013