Monmouthshire Man Jailed for Cocaine Dealing to Clear Debts

A Monmouthshire man has been sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to selling cocaine over a four-month period to clear his debts. 📱💰

Johnathan Macdonald, 34, of Ty Draw Lane, Little Mill, near Usk, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug between September 2024 and January 2025.

The court heard that police discovered drug-related messages on Macdonald’s mobile phone while investigating a separate matter. When questioned by detectives, Macdonald gave a no comment interview.

Prosecutor Jason Howells told the court that the defendant had 18 previous convictions for 28 offences, though none were related to drug offences.

Defence barrister Kevin Seal explained that his client’s debts had accumulated after a relationship breakdown and subsequent unemployment. “No proceeds of crime application is sought – there was not some sort of lifestyle,” Mr Seal added.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Macdonald: “I have read your pre-sentence report and it shows you to be of medium risk of serious harm and medium risk of further re-conviction. You have 18 convictions for 28 separate offences but, to your credit, none of them indicates that you have been in trouble before for drugs.

“Mr Seal tells me that you became involved in the supply of drugs as a result of getting into debt and you foolishly took to selling drugs in order to alleviate your difficulties.

“You have not been in custody since 2017 and even then that was for a very much shorter sentence than the one that I am bound to pass for this very serious offence that you have pleaded guilty to, but I will take that very much into account.

“As you know, I am bound by sentencing guidelines and the guideline for this particular case is a starting point of four-and-a-half years.”

Due to mitigating circumstances, the judge reduced the sentence to three years, with Macdonald set to serve half before being released on licence. He will also pay a victim surcharge.