A DRUG dealer bought and sold thousands of diazepam pills “to help heroin addicts cope with withdrawal symptoms”.

Darren Woodcock, 45, from Brynmawr would buy in bulk from a contact called Paul and travel to Manchester to try and source the class C drug.

He was arrested in the Beaufort area of Ebbw Vale by police who found 300 diazepam tablets in 10 packs hidden inside his trousers in May 2021.

The drugs had a potential street value of £600.

Officers also found drug-related messages when they seized Woodcock’s mobile phone

Nik Strobl, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant was buying large amounts of the class C drug from Paul.

“In 2017 Paul gave him the opportunity to buy 10,000 tablets and in July 2020 6,000 were bought.

“He would drive up to Manchester to try and buy these drugs.

“After he was arrested he made full and frank admissions to the police and said he knew what he was doing was illegal.

“The defendant said he wasn’t selling the tablets every day and would sometimes go weeks without doing so.

“He said he did it to support addicts in a difficult position."

Mr Strobl said of Woodcock’s offending: “The defendant played a significant role and there was the expectation of significant financial advantage.

“There was a close link to central sources, he was buying in bulk and he was selling directly to users.”

The prosecutor added: “The defendant wasn’t charged until November 30, 2022 despite making full admissions in his police interview.”

Woodcock, of Queen Street, Brynmawr, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of diazepam and possession of the drug.

The supply offence was committed over a four-year period starting in 2017.

He had 13 previous convictions for 24 offences and was jailed for handling stolen goods in 2013.

Ben Waters, representing Woodcock, said: “The defendant had struggled with class A drug addiction.

“Heroin addicts often use diazepam in an attempt to ease the pain associated with withdrawal and the like.

“He had been using diazepam to self-medicate.”

Mr Waters added that his client’s employer had written a reference to say the defendant was a “trustworthy and honest” worker.

The judge, Recorder Neil Owen-Casey told Woodcock: “You had an awareness or understanding of the scale of the operation and you had some operational function in the chain.”

The defendant was jailed for eight months but the sentence was suspended for 12 months.

He must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and was fined £225 and ordered to pay £210 towards prosecution costs and a £187 victim surcharge.