A FLINTSHIRE drug dealer will spend Christmas behind bars after pleading guilty to his crimes.

Jake Blackwell, of High Street in Bagillt, was handed a jail sentence today (December 8) after admitting to selling cocaine and steroids.

Appearing before a judge at Mold Crown Court, the court was told Blackwell had been in the business of dealing drugs for around 18 months prior to being caught out.

The prosecutor, Miss Anna Pope, said Blackwell was working at a gym when, between February 2017 and December 2018, he was involved in the sale of anabolic steroids.

She told the court, as police were investigating Blackwell for that offence, they uncovered that the 28-year-old was selling a much harder drug.

Upon checking his phone records, it was apparent that he was also supplying people with quantities of cocaine.

Blackwell was arrested in December 2018 after police raided his home address, said Miss Pope.

The court was told how officers recovered a quantity of drug paraphernalia as well as anabolic steroids.

Miss Pope added police also found small plastic pouches hidden in an oven glove as well as a set of scales and £160 in cash hidden behind an extractor fan in his kitchen.

Officers found more steroids in Blackwell's vehicle.

Messages on Blackwell's mobile phone indicated that he had been involved in several drug sales. It also showed that he was supplying products to a 'sub-dealer' to sell on for him.

A drug expert with North Wales Police concluded that Blackwell had 'significant' knowledge of drugs and was found keeping lists of the drugs he supplied.

The court heard how Blackwell kept 'tick lists' with a range of contacts that were getting drug fixes from him - some with substantial charges by their name reaching between £300 and £600.

Blackwell's bank records were also analysed, and the court heard how around £26,700 was credited to his account - and are believed to tally up with drug deals. Names linked to these bank transfers also lined up with those found on the earlier mentioned 'tick lists'.

It was also possible to trace when Blackwell was purchasing the drug he would later go on to supply.

Blackwell was unable to offer an alternative reason for the large sums of money.

At police interview he returned no comment answers to all questions but later confessed.

His defence, Mr Simon Mintz, told the court how Blackwell knew what the most likely outcome of the case would be and was prepared for the "almost inevitable outcome" of prison.

The judge, Niclas Parry, sentenced Blackwell to 26 months for supplying the Class A drug.

He said: "You took a risk and made a choice to supply drugs so that you could make significant amounts of money - regardless of the harm you were causing."