Welshpool man made drug debt threat to woman in Flintshire

Jack Davies, of Berriew Street in Welshpool, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Monday morning.

The 25-year-old had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to one offence of threatening to destroy or damage property.

Catherine Elvin, prosecuting, told the court that the incident in question took place on January 26 last year.

The victim was at her home in Flintshire with her children when Davies attended, asking to see her teenage son.

He told the woman her son owed £20,000 in relation to a drug debt which he was there to collect.

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Davies said if the sum wasn't paid, an "unknown person would attend and ruin her property."

Ms Elvin read from a statement, in which the victim said the incident had frightened her and she worried for her family.

She added that Davies' offence had displayed "some level of planning" and caused "more than minimal distress."

The court also heard Davies is currently serving a sentence for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, which will "hang over him for another two years and nine months."

Rosemary Proctor, defending, said: "There is, in my submission, a refreshing frankness about his responses in his interview with probation.

"He really left himself nowhere to hide with his responses and said he was 'less ruthless' than others in his role.

"Those are not weasel words; this was part of his entanglement with a county lines network.

Jack Davies (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police)

"He may have been just as trapped as others in the network.

"While Mr Davies didn't blame his offending on his mental health, it's true he was vulnerable to exploitation and is prone to risky behaviour.

"He clearly has a serious mental disorder - schizophrenia - and has been sectioned three times in the fairly recent past."

Ms Proctor said her client had been using his time in custody well, including engaging with mental health services and courses.

Judge Niclas Parry told the defendant: "You were an enforcer. A debt collector.

"The threat you made was sinister - it caused real fear."

The Judge took into account that the defendant had already received a lengthy sentence for his involvement in the county lines gang, handing down three months to be served concurrently to his ongoing jail term for the threat offence.

An indefinite restraining order was made for the protection of the victim.