A Holywell window cleaner who dealt in cocaine has been jailed for a total of 46 months.

Adrian Reginald Crofts was found in possession of cocaine when police executed a search warrant at his home in Bryn Mawr Road back in October, 2017.

Judge Rhys Rowlands, who said the delays in the case were unacceptable, was told that Crofts was a window cleaner who rarely used banks and he claimed that £3,000 in cash found by police in his bedroom were from his income.

He admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply at an earlier occasion and yesterday changed his pleas and admitted being concerned in the supply of both cocaine and cannabis between July and October 2017, based on text messages found on his mobile phone - for which he was due to go on trial in April.

Crofts also admitted possessing the £3,000 as criminal property.

He was jailed for 44 months for the offences and an additional two months were added consecutively for being in breach of an earlier suspended prison sentence.

An order was made under The Proceeds of Crime that his criminal benefit was £8,272 and the judge gave him three months to pay.

Judge Rowlands said that despite being on a suspended sentence from Cardiff Crown Court for an affray, he had become involved in the supply of drugs.

Cocaine to the value of £470 had been found in his car boot and £3,000 in cash in his bedroom.

When his phone was analysed text messages showed a clear involvement with drugs.

But the defendant was a family man in work who was no longer taking drugs and it was accepted that the investigation had been hanging over him for an unacceptable long period of time. He had managed to stay out of trouble during that time, the judge said.

Brett Williamson, prosecuting, said police found 11.9 grammes of cocaine in a shoebox in the defendant’s car boot.

Cash of £3,000 had been found in the bedroom.

When his phone was analysed a large amount of text messages relating to the supply of cocaine and cannabis were found.

He had even been advising and directing another unknown person in how to best supply cocaine.

They spoke of doing drug runs to Liverpool, and what would happen to the other man if he was caught by the police.

There had been an exchange when the second man sent a text in which he asked the defendant if he still needed “that run to Liverpool?”

When Crofts said yes, the second man asked: “same place, same guy?”

The defendant said it would clear the £75 he owed.

Crofts had said it would not be too wise going over in the same car all the time.

There were messages relating to cannabis.

At one stage the defendant sent out a message trying to sell a block quantity of cannabis saying he had “super lemon for six grand.”

Interviewed, he said the cocaine found was for personal use and when questioned about the cash he said he was a window cleaner who rarely used banks for his takings.

But the prosecutor said inquiries showed he had declared £43k to Revenue and Customs from the window cleaning business.

He agreed with police that it was his phone but then made no comment when questioned about the text messages.

Defending barrister Dafydd Roberts stressed that the offences dated back to 2017, his client was no longer taking drugs and had not reoffended.

He had no previous convictions for supply, he was in a relationship and was now a father, and a letter from his employer showed he was a valued member of a team.

The defendant accepted he had to go to prison which would be his first taste of custody.