Swansea dealer jailed after boasting of 15-year Valium trade

Sean Brendan Doyle’s operation came crashing down when police executed a search warrant at his Waunarlwydd home on 29 August 2024. Although he wasn’t there at the time, officers tracked down his Vauxhall Astra parked outside his partner’s house on Aneurin Way in Sketty Park and arrested the 36-year-old nearby.

A search of the vehicle’s boot uncovered a substantial haul – bags and boxes containing 1,535 tablets of six different Class C drugs, predominantly diazepam, valued at up to £1,690. Officers also seized 2.1g of cocaine and four mobile phones.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Doyle refused to answer questions during interview and wouldn’t reveal the PINs for his seized phones. He was released on bail but later sent a Snapchat message confirming his phones had been taken whilst bragging he hadn’t disclosed the codes.

Police eventually accessed the devices and discovered messages showing 12 months of diazepam dealing, typically in £15 and £20 transactions with discounts available for bulk purchases. Prosecutor Regan Walters told the court that in one message, Doyle boasted he was selling “the best diazepam in Swansea for 15 years”. Just eight days before his arrest, he’d discussed shifting 10 boxes of tablets weekly and expressed his desire to start making bulk sales.

Doyle, of Clas y Bedw, Waunarlwydd, pleaded guilty to possession of diazepam with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of diazepam, and possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply. His criminal record includes seven previous convictions for 13 offences – among them supplying Class C drugs in 2009, possession with intent to supply in 2017, and simple possession in 2021.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans explained that only two messages related to Class A drug supply and urged the court to view his client primarily as a Class C dealer. He said Doyle had been using Class C drugs from a very early age following tragic events in his life, with his substance use spiralling into Class A drugs after a friend’s suicide in 2023.

The court heard Doyle is now drug-free, largely due to his new partner’s positive influence. Mr Evans said his client “sees a brighter future for himself” than he had during 2023 and 2024.

Judge Huw Rees said he wouldn’t lecture Doyle, noting the defendant surely understands that turning to drugs “to deal with whatever life unfairly throws at you” isn’t the answer and only worsens problems.

With one-third discount for his guilty pleas, Doyle received three years imprisonment – three years for the crack cocaine offence running concurrently with one year for the Class C offences. He’ll serve up to half his sentence in custody before release on licence.