POLICE became suspicious when they saw a car pull up outside the car park of a public house and two people went to it separately and stayed a short time.

It turned out that the driver was a cocaine dealer who a court heard was running a substantial business.

Peter Maddock, who had previously been jailed for drugs offences, was sentenced to four years and eight months.

He was warned at Mold Crown Court that it could have been a seven year sentence but for his guilty pleas.

Maddock, 40, of Gwenfro, Wrexham, admitted possessing cocaine, supplying cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possessing cash as criminal property.

The court heard that the cocaine had a high purity which Judge David Hale said would have been supplied to others who would then adulterate it.

If they had taken it as it was then it would have killed them, he said.

Judge Hale told Maddock that he had committed his life-time to crime.

"This time again it is drugs," he said.

It was, he said, "a substantial operation" which was showed by the flash messages he sent out by text and the substantial dealers' lists recovered.

There were more than 100 names and he had kept a lot of details including names and where customers lived and it was clear that hundreds of pounds worth had been supplied to some, all in the Wrexham area.

The purity of the cocaine was between 70 and 80 per cent and would be supplied to others who would "cut" it ready for onward distribution.

"They could not use it at that purity or it would kill them," Judge Hale told Maddocks.

It had gone on for a long time, since 2016.

Judge Hale warned the defendant that if he continued to offend on his release then the sentences would only get longer.

"It is up to you," he said.

Prosecuting barrister Karl Scholz said that the total quantity seized was 62.6 grammes, which had a street value of between £3,200 and £4,800.

At 2.15 pm on August 26 police saw a car parked near to the entrance of the car park of The Acton Public House.

Two minutes later a known male aged 28 got into the passenger seat and left a minute later, returning to the pub.

"He had been supplied with cocaine in that short time," he explained.

Another individual approached and an exchange was seen through the driver's window.

The Peugeot then drove off, followed by an unmarked police car.

When blue lights were used to indicate to the driver to stop he went through a store car park and out the other side.

But if he had thought of trying to get away it was short lived and he stopped the vehicle.

PC Angela Faulkner told him what she had seen and he replied that he had nothing to hide and indicated that there was cocaine in the door side pocket.

Various amounts of drugs were seized together with £130 in cash - which the judge ruled should go to North Wales Police to be used in drugs investigations.

Two mobile phones with incriminating text messages were found and it turned out that he had been sending out flash messages advertising cocaine and there were 108 separate entries in detailed tick lists of his customers and how much had been supplied.

In August last year text messages advertising his cocaine went out on an almost daily basis, said Mr Scholz.

In-coming calls inquiring about drugs were also recovered.

He had previous convictions for supplying drugs in 2005 and 2010.

Defending barrister Oliver King said that while the prosecution had suggested that it was selling on a commercial scale with the expectation of substantial financial gain, it was telling that following an investigation by the police there was no application under The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to seize any assets.

It was the defendant's case that he was dealing for others who he owed substantial debts following his previous use of cannabis.

While he had previous convictions they did not involve class A drugs.

His best point of mitigation was his guilty plea .

The defendant was a 40-year-old single man with no dependents who appreciated that he would receive an immediate prison sentence.

Judge Hale made a destruction order in respect of the drugs recovered.