Neil Espin (Image: Gwent Police)
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A 46-year-old man who maintained a factory job while dealing drugs to fund his own crack cocaine addiction has been sentenced to almost three years behind bars.
Guilty pleas
Neil Espin, of Tewkesbury Walk, Newport, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, cannabis, and pregabalin – a prescription-only painkiller and sedative – along with simple possession of cannabis at Cardiff Crown Court.
His pleas were entered on the basis that he was a long-term crack addict who connected people with his regular dealer in exchange for free drugs, and that any financial gain on his part was minimal.
The search
Prosecutor Emily Jermin told the court that officers carried out a search warrant at Espin’s home on March 7 this year after intelligence linked him to a drugs line and a Snapchat account connected to cocaine supply.
Espin was arrested at the property and his phone was seized alongside a small quantity of cannabis. Messages recovered from the device provided what the court heard was “clear evidence” of his involvement in supplying class A, B, and C drugs.
During his police interview, Espin provided a prepared statement accepting possession of the cannabis discovered at his address.
Previous offending
The court was told Espin had 15 previous convictions, among them being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin in 2023, which resulted in a three-year prison sentence.
Defence arguments
Gareth Williams, representing Espin, described his client as part of a group of friends who helped supply drugs to one another. He said Espin had kept steady employment at a factory and was “able to cope” with his long-standing crack addiction, describing him as a “functioning addict”.
Mr Williams acknowledged that Espin had served time in prison before and understood what it involved, but pointed to his stable accommodation and willingness to engage with addiction support. He asked the court to consider “taking a chance” on a non-custodial sentence.
Sentencing
Judge Paul Hobson referenced a pre-sentence report outlining how Espin had been addicted to drugs since his early 30s, telling the defendant that the direction of his life ultimately rested with him.
The judge noted that “stabilising factors” such as employment and housing had not stopped Espin from reoffending, and described him as a man of “mature years” who would have understood the harm caused by facilitating drug supply.
Espin was sentenced to 33 months in prison, which included a one-quarter reduction for his guilty pleas. He will serve 40% of the sentence in custody before being released on licence to complete the remainder in the community.
