A heroin-dealing dad-of-six was arrested and his phone rang in custody playing "Hello, It's your drug dealer" ringtone, a court has heard. David Owens had been caught red-handed selling heroin in the street.
Heroin Dealer's 'Hello, It's Your Drug Dealer' Ringtone Went Off In Front Of Police
By
Zainab Pervez in
Funny
On 24th June 2022
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A man whose phone went off with the ringtone ‘Hello, It's your drug dealer’ while he was being detained by police has been jailed for selling drugs.
Credit: South Wales Police
David Owens had been caught red-handed selling heroin to a man on a Swansea street and was being dealt with by officers when the mobile went off. The customer he had sold drugs to ran off when police approached but was chased and detained.
The 48-year-old was arrested alongside customer Matthew Wright after plain-clothes officers spotted the two men taking part in an ‘exchange’ and went over to investigate.
Credit: South Wales Police
Swansea Crown Court heard the pair were arrested in the Mount Pleasant area of the city on the afternoon of January 29 2020. Ian Wright, prosecuting, said plain-clothes officers were on patrol in the community when they saw two men on Portia Terrace conducting "an exchange".
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The officers identified themselves by saying ‘police’, prompting Wright to try and make a run for it, during which he was seen to discard a package. Wright was later caught and detained, while the package was recovered and found to contain $180 worth of heroin.
Meanwhile, as 48-year-old Owens was being detained by officers his phone rang and the ringtone was "Hello it's your drug dealer". Owens was searched - becoming "agitated" - and was found to be carrying $220 cash. A subsequent search of Owens' house found wraps of heroin worth around $1100 along with three weighing scales, a tick-list of money owed, and $9400 in cash.
Owens appeared in Swansea Crown Court this week, having previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of heroin, and possession of criminal property (the money he was found to have). He has 26 previous convictions for 159 offences including perverting the course of justice, possession of cannabis, and weapons offences.
Matthew John Wright, of Arthur Street, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, had previously pleaded guilty to the simple possession of heroin when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 24 previous convictions for 46 offences.
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His lawyer,Anthony O'Connell, said that Owens was a dad-of-six with an "addictive personality" for drink and drugs whose life had spiralled downwards after "getting in with the wrong people". He pointed to the age of the offending and noted the case had taken some time to make its way to court. Kate Williams, for Wright, also pointed to the delay in the case.
Owens is sentenced to four years and three months in prison – of which up to half must be served in custody before being released on licence for the remainder of the sentence. Wright, who had 24 previous convictions for 46 offences, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and was given a $367 fine.