A local father kept more than £12,000 of drugs in his home to sell to others a court has heard.

Police executed a raid at the Aberporth home of labourer Daniel Lewis in September 2022. They found a significant amount of cannabis in a summerhouse adjoining the home Lewis, 35, shared with his partner and two children.

A subsequent search of the property revealed a total of 1.236Kg of cannabis with a street value of between £12,550 and £13,020.

Police also took a mobile phone, but Lewis, of Parc-Llyn, refused to give the PIN. When police eventually accessed the device they found messages 'interpreted as relating to the supply of cannabis'.

Lewis gave no comment police interviews but, when he was arraigned at Swansea Crown Court, he admitted being concerned in the supply of class B drug cannabis between April 4 2022 and September 18 2022 and possessing cannabis with an intent to supply on September 17 2022.

The court heard that the case had taken a long time to come to court due to the delay in accessing the mobile phone.

Lewis appeared in front of His Honour Judge Paul Thomas KC for sentencing today, Wednesday, October 9.

In his defence it was said that Lewis, who had no previous convictions, had developed a cannabis habit and at the time he was arrested smoked between four to six grammes a day.

He also had debts that were not drug related of around £8,000.

“This was a way of getting the drugs he was using cheaper and selling it to make some money,” said his defence solicitor.

In addition Lewis, a ‘family man’ with a young son and step-daughter, had sought help from DDAS and was now drug free.

Judge Thomas said the offences were aggravated as the drugs were kept in a summer house adjoining the family home where Lewis lived with his young family and by the fact that Lewis had ‘very stupidly’ refused to give police the PIN for his phone.

He sentenced Lewis to 28 weeks in prison, concurrent for both counts, suspended for 18 months as he felt there was a ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’.

He also handed down 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirement ‘to reinforce your intention to stay off drugs’ and 200 hours of unpaid work.

He warned Lewis that if he breached the order or committed any offence in the next year and a half ‘you will be brought back before me and I will send you to prison’.