TWO Wrexham men involved in supplying cocaine and heroin have been sentenced in court.

Mark Smallman and Geoffrey Jones, both of Bradley Road in Wrexham, appeared via videolink from HMP Berwyn at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentence on Thursday, January 11.

The pair had both previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of both cocaine and heroin.

Catherine Elvin, prosecuting, told the court that the pair's involvement had been discovered as part of Operation Gasket - a joint-effort carried out by North Wales Police and Merseyside Police to tackle class A drugs.

That operation found that 'bulk messages' were being sent out from mobile devices in the Wrexham area advertising the sale of both cocaine and heroin.

On September 27, 2023, Smallman was identified by police participating in a drug deal in Spar car park.

The 50-year-old was searched by officers who subsequently seized £339 in cash from his possession, as well as seven wraps (0.88g) of cocaine and five wraps (0.66g) of heroin.

A further search of his address was carried out and Jones, 36, was found to be at the house.

TOP CRIME STORIES

Also seized from the address by police were; a number of Huawei mobile phones, some scales with drug residue on them, £1,600 in cash and a further 19.2g of heroin (42% purity).

When the mobile phones were examined, they revealed further evidence of drug supply with reference to drugs made.

One of Smallman's phones was said to have 'continued ringing until the battery died' when it was taken by police.

Ms Elvin said that the prosecution accepted that Jones had a 'lesser role' in the operation and had been 'feeding his own habit'.

Duncan Bould, defending Smallman, conceded that there was 'little' he could do for his client given that he had already twice been convicted of 'possession with intent to supply' a class A drug in 2010 and 2016 respectively.

Wyn Williams, defending Jones, said that his client had 'made strides' during the six months he had already spent in custody.

Jones, who was homeless and had been offered a place to stay by Smallman at the time of the offending, was said to have 'engaged well' with his substance misuse worker.

Addressing Smallman in court, Judge Nicolas Parry said: "You were witnessed brazenly selling drugs in a part of north Wales that has been plagued by that."

He sentenced Smallman to five-and-a-half-years in prison.

Jones, who had no previous convictions for drug supply, was sentenced to two years in prison, but this was suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation and 35 programme requirement sessions.