THREE neighbours from Caerphilly have been jailed for more than 17 years between them after being found to have sold a suspected £54,000 worth of cocaine.

Rhys Davies, now of Swallow Drive in Fleur-de-Lys, and Charlotte Hathaway, of Penmaen Close in Cefn Hengoed, as well as their then-neighbour Paul Bowley, also of Penmaen Close, were busted in April after police executed a Misuse of Drugs Act warrant on Davies and Hathaway’s property.

Officers found two boxes in the bedroom containing freezer bags, and a series of notebooks with lists of prices and names, as well as two mobile phones.

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As Davies and Hathaway, both 34, were being arrested, officers noticed Bowley leaving his house and begin working on his car. When officers went over to speak with him, Bowley, now 54, said: “He has been helping me out with weed, and I have been helping him out shifting some coke. I can’t believe what a p***k I am, 53 years old being involved in this s**t,” prosecutor Nuhu Gobir told Newport Crown Court.

“The bulk of the lists in the notepad was for cocaine,” said Mr Gobir. “It appears the authors had sold 1.2kg of cocaine with the value of more than £54,000.”

In the garage, the police found a black holdall containing 3kg of amphetamine, estimated to be worth between £3,000 and £12,000.

When questioned by police, Davies said the boxes found in the bedroom were for cocaine for his own personal use, and he did not know about the lists or who wrote them, adding “I’m too dull” when asked if they were his. He said he had “never seen [the holdall] before.”

All three admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, while Davies also pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to supply amphetamine, as well as possession with intent to supply cocaine. Hathaway also admitted the charge of permitting a premises to be used for supplying heroin.

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Amphetamines found by police after raiding Rhys Davies and Charlotte Hathaway's home. Picture: Gwent Police.

Police raided the home again on May 4, where they found a bag containing two bricks of brown powder– later found to be diamorphine, or heroin, thought to be worth between £30,500 and £42,000 in total – in a plastic container, as well as weighing scales, a plastic bag and rubber gloves.

When asked about it, Hathaway claimed she did not know it was there, and said: “When you talk about kilos, I don’t even know what a kilo is,” Mr Gobir told the court.

However, Hathaway’s DNA was found alongside Davies’ on the plastic bag, the clip locks on the plastic container, and on the rubber gloves.

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The heroin found by police after raiding Rhys Davies and Charlotte Hathaway's home. Picture: Gwent Police.

“He really regrets the direction his life has taken him in the last 10 years,” said Jenny Yeo, in mitigation for Davies.

“Ten years ago he was medically discharged from the army. Serving in the army is all he wanted to do.

“After his discharge, he was diagnosed with depression and PTSD. He had a breakdown. It was at that time he began using cocaine. He got into debt and he began selling drugs.

“He’s not offering it as an excuse, but as an explanation for his actions.”

On his client, Kevin Seal, representing Hathaway, said: "Until 2018, she had her own house, a good job and a mortgage. She had two young children.

"But in December 2018, she was involved in a head-on car crash, and as a result suffered significant injuries. She suffered post traumatic stress as a result of this.

“It’s because of the pain from her injuries she became an addict.

“This is not an excuse, but a reason, perhaps, how a responsible mother in her 30s found herself here.”

“She was not the instigator,” Mr Seal added.

Recorder Paul Lewis QC dismissed this, saying: “The messages on your phone show you were actively concerned in the sale of cocaine.

“I do not find it attractive mitigation for one adult to say ‘I’m not as much to blame as someone else’ when they’ve both pleaded guilty to the same offence.

“I am perfectly satisfied you were playing a full, active and equal part in the sale of cocaine.”

Jeffrey Jones, speaking in defence of Bowley, said: “He does not shy away from those comments [which he made to officers when arrested].

“He knows that he did wrong.

“His period of supplying [Davies and Hathaway] was over four to five weeks.”

Davies was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison, while Hathaway faces five and 11 months behind bars. Bowley was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.