Joseph Carver (Image: Gwent Police)
Last Updated: 35 seconds ago
A drug dealer who was found with almost £90,000 worth of cocaine after being seriously injured in a motorbike collision has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Joseph Carver, 41, from Crumlin in the Caerphilly county borough, crashed his motorbike in the Cilfynydd area of Pontypridd on Friday, August 22 last year, sustaining skull and rib fractures.
He was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where he was placed into an induced coma and underwent surgery for his injuries.
When officers searched his motorbike, they recovered 891g of cocaine separated into street deals, with an estimated value of approximately £89,000, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
Phone evidence and scale of trafficking
Prosecutor Tom Roberts told the court that a mobile phone seized from Carver revealed he had been buying and selling cocaine by the kilogram on a “commercial scale”.
The 41-year-old was involved in trafficking 30kg of the class A drug, with supplies sourced mainly from dealers based in Newcastle, Mr Roberts said.
Cannabis discovered in garden
When police went to arrest Carver in February, they found more than 400g of cannabis buried in his garden, valued at around £4,500.
The father of two admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply cannabis, and possession of criminal property in the form of £820 in cash.
He had 13 previous convictions for 33 offences, including one for supplying cannabis in 2015.
Defence arguments
Peter Donnison, representing Carver, told the court: “He wasn’t at the head of the organisation.”
His barrister added: “He fell off the wagon a year or so ago. The defendant’s life spiralled out of control. He was naive and he felt pressure after he fell into drug misuse.”
The court also heard that the former labourer and factory worker suffers from ill health after a heart attack and a stroke in 2023.
Sentencing
Recorder Greg Bull KC told Carver: “You were plainly involved at a high level.”
Carver was jailed for eight years.
A proceeds of crime hearing is due to take place in the autumn.
