A DRUG dealer who drove erratically with 140 flubromazolam tablets stuffed down his pants has been handed a 30-month jail sentence by Swansea Crown Court.

William Rhodri Hughes, of Commercial Street, Ystalyfera was seen by police swerving across the white line in the middle of the road in Martin Street, Morriston.

He was pulled over and found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Officers also found boxed marked ‘diazepam’ stuffed down his pants however these were later found to contain 140 Class C flubromazolam tablets, which is a strong sedative drug. He also had £230 on cash.

When police examined the driver's phone they found he had made arrangements to supply four people on the evening he was arrested and a subsequent search of his house uncovered a stash of cocaine, £550 in cash, weighing scales and a further 1,832 flubromazolam pills.

In a prepared statement given to officers in interview 30-year-old Hughes said he had been using for cocaine for the last decade and had turned to selling diazepam to fund his habit.

Hughes admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of flubromazolam with intent to supply.

Huw Davies, for Hughes, said a pre-sentence report into his client detailed how his use of cocaine had "spiralled out of control" during the Covid pandemic when he had been unable to find work as a bricklayer.

The barrister said the defendant had hid his addiction to cocaine from his family who had been "astonished" to learn the truth but said the defendant was now free of drugs.

Recorder Carl Harrison said the appropriate sentence after trial would have been one of 40 months in prison, however with a one-quarter discount for the defendant's guilty plea, it was reduced to 30 months.

Hughes will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The recorder noted the age of the case and said the explanation he had been given for the six-month delay in police asking the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision involved inexperienced staff working for the police and the impact of Covid.