Nine dealers jailed (From Penarth Times)

Nine dealers jailed

A 68-YEAR-OLD woman described as'every drug dealer's dream' was one of nine people sentenced to a total of almost 25 years in prison for drug dealing in Penarth.

Patricia Rigby, of Plas Esyllt, Dinas Powys, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Jeffery Meredith, aged 37, of Paget Road, Penarth, was jailed for eight years.

Keith Thomas, aged 44, of Paget Place, Penarth, was jailed for one year.

Martin Clayton, aged 34, of Clive Crescent, and Gary McCarthy, aged 41, of Glebe Street, were both sentenced to two years in prison.

Lee Ford, aged 25, of Dock Street, received a four-year prison sentence.

Gareth Selwyn-Jones, aged 44, of Glebe Street, was jailed for six months.

Joanne Bumford, aged 35, of Beverly Street, Barry, was sentenced to four years.

Sean Edmunds, aged 48, of Hunter Street, Barry, was given two years.

The nine were arrested in an undercover police operation codenamed Gambia.

In March 2004, a 15-strong team of police officers from the Vale of Glamorgan gathered intelligence on the dealing of cocaine, amphetamine and ecstasy in three pubs in Penarth - The Railway, The Clive and The Bear's Head.

Leyton Hughes, prosecuting, said that Rigby had been recruited by Meredith and Bumford into their supply of cocaine from either her home in Dinas Powys or from the offices of the cab firm Penarth Cars, where she was employed as a radio operator.

Meredith and Bumford had become acquainted with her through Sean Edmunds, a driver for Penarth Cars.

Hughes said: "Mrs Rigby was used as a front by Bumford and Meridith who used her home as a safehouse.

"Cocaine was stored and cut up at her home. The cocaine would often be supplied by Bumford and others in pubs in Penarth.

"An undercover officer also met Mrs Rigby on a number of occasions and she supplied cocaine to the officer and his colleague."

The prosecution said Jeffrey Meredith and Gary McCarthy jointly supplied 100 ecstasy tablets to an undercover officer codenamed Matt on April 3, 2004 in the Bear's Head in Penarth.

Mr Hughes told the court that on May 24, 2004, police officers went to Rigby's home in Dinas Powys with a search warrant and found two mirrors and a razor blade used by Bumford to divide up the cocaine accurately.

JD Jenkins, defending Rigby, said: "She was an extremely vulnerable target who was exploited by sophisticated drug dealers.

"Following the loss of her husband after a long illness she had never felt so low. Through a sense of naivety she went along with the situation.

"She made no financial gain from the enterprise. She was occasionally bought a pineapple juice when she went to the pub.

"She is a gentle and pleasant woman who was targeted because of these qualities. She has suffered a great sense of shame and stigma."

SJ Jeary, defending Gary McCarthy, said: "He was a decent human being going about his business in an ordinary way.

"He had gone off the straight and narrow after the breakdown of his marriage and loss of employment, but had now settled down again and did a great deal to help his father who was in a fragile state of health."

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall said that Meredith was the controlling influence who supplied the drugs through others.

He said the way Meredith and Bumford had sought to shift the blame onto Rigby, whom he called'every drug dealer's dream', was despicable.

Passing sentence he told Rigby: "Never has a case preyed on my mind as much as yours.

"It is a tragedy that you have to be sentenced here today. If I could do any less in good conscience I would - but I can't."

Superintendent Josh Jones, Divisional Commander for the Vale of Glamorgan, said: "Operation Gambia targeted the sort of drug suppliers who do not normally get their hands dirty. This shows that those involved in the drugs industry are not untouchable."

During the trial, undercover officers gave evidence from behind a screen to keep their identities hidden as a matter of public interest.