A COCAINE dealer has been jailed after he was caught drug driving and defying his motoring ban.

Joshua Meredith escaped going to prison earlier this year when he was given a suspended sentence in January for being concerned in the supply of the class A drug.

But it wasn’t long before he was breaking the law again and was stopped by police for driving under the influence on cocaine and driving while disqualified.

The 24-year-old was pulled over by police in an Audi on Hereford Road, Abergavenny on April 14.

Paul Hewitt, prosecuting, said: “The defendant told officers, ‘I’m an idiot.’”

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Meredith has never passed his driving test and has previous convictions for motoring offences.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months on March 14, 2019, for driving without due care and attention.

Meredith was banned for 12 months again on July 3, 2021, for driving without a licence and driving with no insurance.

On February 3, 2022, the defendant was disqualified for two years for driving while disqualified and driving without a licence.

For his latest driving offences in April, Meredith pleaded guilty to drug driving with a cocaine derivative in his blood, driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.

Sol Hartley, representing the defendant, asked the judge to give his client “one last opportunity” and consider imposing a drug rehabilitation requirement and a community punishment.

“This is perhaps his last chance at rehabilitation,” his lawyer said.

A reference was presented to the court from Meredith’s grandmother and the court heard the defendant had a difficult upbringing.

“He wants to apologise to the court for his offences,” Mr Hartley added. “The defendant entered his guilty pleas as the first opportunity and has been drug free since his arrest in April.”

Recorder Bruce Gardiner told Meredith, of Hereford Road, Abergavenny, he had been fortunate to avoid jail in January and sent him to prison for 14 months.

The defendant was banned from driving for five years and two months and will have to pass an extended driving test if he ever wants to apply for a full licence.