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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Philip Dewey

Drug dealer stole wallet containing £1,000 from elderly man in pub

A drug dealer caught in possession of heroin and crack cocaine was later arrested while on bail for stealing a wallet containing £1,000 from an elderly man.

Roger Nugent, 44, was caught by police with the drugs on March 8 when a Volkswagen Golf in which the defendant was a passenger was pulled over in Newport. They initially found a bag containing 0.5g of cocaine worth £60 as well as two mobile phones.

The defendant was then transported from Coldra Road to a custody suite where a strip search took place and further drugs were discovered protruding from Nugent's anus.

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This included 3.12g of heroin worth between £80 and £120, 0.08g of crack cocaine, and a another bag containing 3.18g of crack cocaine worth between £80 and £120.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard data was downloaded from a black Nokia which contained messages relating to drug dealing.

Prosecutor Nik Strobl gave information about a further incident which took place when Nugent was on bail at the Robin Hood pub in Monmouth on August 27.

The defendant was made subject to a criminal behaviour order preventing him from attending commercial premises in Monnow Street but he breached this by attending the pub.

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Mr Stobl said: "Victim John Price, 85, was drinking in the pub when Nugent approached him, reached round his side, and stole his wallet. Mr Price did not notice the theft. When he realised he told bar staff who checked CCTV and identified the defendant."

The wallet contained £1,000 which Mr Price was saving to buy a television but it was not recovered.

Nugent, of Hendre Close, Monmouth, later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, theft, and breaching a criminal behaviour order. The court also heard he had numerous convictions for possessing drugs.

Defence barrister Ben Waters said Nugent had struggled with an addiction to Class A drugs for a significant period of time, and fed his habit by dealing drugs to a "small circle of friends", but is now on a methadone prescription.

Judge Huw Rees sentenced Nugent to a total of 25 months imprisonment.

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