Salem Khan (Image: South Wales Police)
Last Updated: 1 minute ago
A 21-year-old man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after admitting his involvement in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine for a third time.
Salem Khan was arrested on November 5 last year following a police search of his home on The Boulevard, Canton, Cardiff. He had only recently been released from prison after serving time for previous drug trafficking convictions.
Phone evidence
Officers seized Khan’s mobile phone during the search, and once downloaded, it revealed messages linked to the supply of both heroin and crack cocaine to users. Drug-related paraphernalia was also recovered from the property, along with £1,715 in cash.
Guilty pleas
Khan went on to plead guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and a further charge of possessing criminal property.
Mitigation
Cardiff Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Khan has two prior sets of convictions for drug offences, meaning he faced a minimum custodial term of seven years.
Solicitor-advocate Derrick Gooden, representing Khan, told the court his client was “well aware” of the implications of appearing before the courts for drugs offences for a third time. He said Khan has a recognised condition requiring treatment in custody and is supported by his father.
Sentencing
Judge Vanessa Francis said: “You are still only 21 years old. You have been diagnosed with a condition which has led to you making some really unwise choices and you have been behind some of those choices over the years. You have still got a fair bit of growing up to do.”
Khan was sentenced to a total of 2,045 days’ imprisonment after the judge applied 20% credit for his guilty pleas.
