A NEWPORT man who breached a suspended sentence when he supplied heroin from his secret stash has been sentenced to more than three years in prison

Shabir Ahmed, aged 42, of 93 Commercial Road, previously pleaded guilty to the possession and supply of the class A drug diamorphine (heroin). He had been on bail for the offence.

Newport Crown Court heard earlier today how on July 20 last year, officers on surveillance duty stopped a transit van driven by David Coleman in the Usk Way area of Newport.

A total of six yellow wraps of heroin with 47 per cent purity were found in the search and when arrested, Mr Coleman told officers to ask the van’s passenger, Mrs Dunn, where it came from.

With her assistance, police traced the source of the wraps, worth £24, to Ahmed and mobile records showed regular contact between the pair in July, 2014.

Officers then attended Ahmed’s home address at 93 Commercial Road and recovered similar yellow wraps to the six found in the van.

Through keys found in the pockets of his jeans, it was discovered by officers that although Ahmed lived at 93 Commercial Road, he was using a spare room at Flat C at 128 Commercial Road to prepare and supply heroin.

It was at this address that he stored his “secret stash” to supply others. Various paraphernalia, including cutting blades, weighing scales, and scissors – all with traces of diamorphine - were found in the spare room.

The court heard how Ahmed had one previous conviction, for possessing criminal property, and had been given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in February 2014 after £7,000 was recovered from his home.

Hilary Roberts, defending, pointed out that the father of five, who is originally from Pakistan, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity

He said: “He’s an educated man who should know better.

“But there are much bigger players than him and he is a committed family man.”

Recorder Paul Hopkins QC said: “Your role within the enterprise was significant.

“You’re an educated man who has had a fortunate start and you elected to embark on this path.

“You have shown little remorse.”

He handed down a sentence of three years and four months for the possession and supply of heroin and a four-month consecutive sentence for the breach of the previous suspended sentence.

Ahmed will also have to pay a victim surcharge of £120.

The tenant of the flat, Jason Guest, aged 38, was found by the court to have played no part in the supply of diamorphine but a quantity of cannabis, weighing 27.2g and worth £280, was also found at the kitchen of his flat during the police search.

Guest pleaded guilty to the possession of a class B drug charge. He was fined £275 by the court.