A drug dealer found with cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and ketamine was caught dealing again the day after his arrest.
Sanjeev Rokka, 22, was a passenger in a car in Cardiff city centre when it was pulled over by police on January 24 last year, when the driver, Nathan Walsh, 31, was seen smoking a cannabis joint at the wheel. The two men, and another passenger, Matthew Gregory, 30, were searched and found with more than £1,000 worth of drugs.
The next day, Walsh's Vauxhall Astra was pulled over again by the same officers and Rokka was found with more cocaine and cannabis. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the trio were initially stopped on Castle Street at the junction of Westgate Street after police smelt cannabis coming from their vehicle. When the officers knocked the passenger window, they could see Rokka's iPhone screen which showed a spreadsheet with names and cash amounts.
Prosecutor Lauren Shepherd said the defendant looked shocked and tried to hide his screen, and when he was detained he attempted to delete incriminating messages from the phone.
Rokka told the officers "I have got drugs on me" and was found with grip seal bags of cocaine, a wrap containing cocaine, two grip seal bags of ketamine, and number of bags containing MDMA tablets, as well as an iPhone and £350 in cash. Cannabis was also found in the car, with the joint and an Alba mobile phone recovered from Walsh and 11 grip seal bags of cannabis and a Nokia phone recovered from Gregory.
The phones were examined and messages were found on those belonging to Walsh and Gregory which provided evidence of drug dealing, but Rokka refused to provide the pin for his device.
All three defendants were released under investigation but on January 25, 2020, officers spotted Rokka and Walsh in the same car. They were searched and Rokka was found in possession of cocaine, cannabis and a burner phone, and further amounts of cannabis were discovered in the roof lining of the car.
Ms Shepherd said the total amount of drugs discovered was worth between £1,090 and £1,290.
Rokka, of no fixed abode, later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, cannabis, ketamine and MDMA. Walsh, of Arabella Street, Roath, and Gregory, of Minny Street, Cathays, both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis.
In mitigation for Rokka, Claire Pickthall said her client had been on remand for 16 months and had served the equivalent of a 32 months sentence.
She added: "He was heavily using an array of drugs at the time of these offences and was selling drugs to fund and support his own addiction. He has become drug free in prison, and it's well known that drugs are readily available in prison, Mr Rokka made that decision to be drug free."
Emma Harris, for Walsh, said the defendant wanted to change his ways and had rekindled a relationship with his family in Manchester where he was hoping to return.
Kevin Seal, for Gregory, said his client was previously addicted to heroin and "descended into the world of taking cannabis" by selling drugs to feed his own habit. He said his client had returned to his hometown of Market Drayton, in Shropshire.
Judge Wayne Beard sentenced Rokka to three years imprisonment. Walsh was sentenced to an 18 month community order, a drug rehabilitation programme, and 140 hours unpaid work. Gregory was sentenced to an 18 months community order, 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement and 140 hours unpaid work.
