A CANNABIS dealer who was caught selling drugs on his bicycle in Newport city centre following a tip-off to police has escaped an immediate jail sentence.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Shaun Wannell, aged 39, had been “under stress” at the time after one of his daughters was diagnosed with leukaemia.

But Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke heard how she was now clear of the disease.

Prosecutor Gareth James said when the defendant was arrested by officers in June 2018, they discovered three separate wraps of cannabis with a street value of £255.

They also found on him a mobile phone which contained text messages such as, ‘Hi, any chance of an ounce tonight? Nadine’.

He claimed to the police the drugs he had were for his own personal use and said: “I bought it for £50 from some guy from Pill.”

Wannell, of Thornbury Park, Rogerstone, Newport, pleaded guilty to possessing a class B drug of cannabis with intent to supply.

Mr James said the defendant had eight previous convictions for 14 offences,

One was drug-related for the simple possession of ecstasy in 2004 and he had a driving with excess alcohol charge on his record as well.

Wannell told a Probation Service officer who wrote his pre-sentence report that he “was only selling drugs to friends”.

He revealed how he been “under stress after discovering one of his daughters had been diagnosed with leukaemia” but that she was now clear of the disease.

The defendant said he had a cannabis habit and was alcohol dependent, sometimes drinking eight cans a day.

He suffers from “asthma, anxiety and paranoia” and receives Employment and Support Allowance of £240 a fortnight.

The defendant told the Probation Service “he doesn’t think he can cope with custody”.

Ben Waters, mitigating, said: “He went on a downward spiral (at the time of the offence) and ended up homeless.”

The judge said that because of the “extraordinary” delay it took for the police to get the case to court and the prospect that Wannell could be rehabilitated, after making efforts to overcome substance misuse, she would not impose an immediate term of custody.

The defendant was jailed for nine months, suspended for 18 months.

He must complete a 21-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay a victim surcharge.

Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Wannell was unfit to carry out unpaid work and warned him she would send him to prison if he breached his suspended sentence.

The prosecution was unable to provide her with an explanation as to why it took the police more than a year to bring a "straightforward" case to court.