A HMP Berwyn inmate has had his jail term extended after being convicted for drugs offences.

Ashley Hughes appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing on Friday.

The 30-year-old, who appeared by video link from the Wrexham prison, had previously been convicted of three offences; being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, possession with intent to supply class B drugs and acquiring criminal property.

Karl Scholz, prosecuting, told the court that in 2019, police were called to the scene of an incident in Gwynedd which involved a Honda Civic having collided with a telegraph pole.

The occupants of the vehicle had fled the scene, but a mobile phone was found in a footwell.

When it was examined, police found Hughes' DNA, as well as messages showing the holder of the device had been concerned in the supply of drugs since 2018.

In February 2020, officers attended the accommodation of Hughes' partner near Pwllheli.

The defendant was there and a quantity of cannabis seemingly packaged into 'deals' of various sizes was recovered, as was more than £600 in cash.

He claimed to have been on benefits for a number of years, but said he did a few 'cash in hand' jobs.

Police examined his bank account and found that over a period of 14 months, he had received tens of thousands of pounds - a small portion of which could be attributed to payments by the Department of Work and Pensions.

More than 200 transfers had been made to him from around 45 individuals for varying amounts, the smallest being £5 and the largest being £500.

The court heard Hughes was jailed for ten-and-a-half years in 2013 for offences including grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of class A drugs.

After being released in 2017, he was recalled to prison in early 2020 for breaching the terms of his license.

Paulinus Barnes, defending, said: "He has spent most of his 20s in prison and realises now that it is time for him to grow up.

"He appears before the court with remorse. "The reason he got into the offending was after leaving prison he suffered anxiety and depression and foolishly embarked on taking cannabis.

"He realises he should have gone to a doctor.

"His biggest remorse is the fact he is not able to develop a proper relationship with his son, who was born a week or two after his recall.

"He wants to get back out into the community so he can be a proper father."

Recorder Duncan Bould handed Hughes concurrent sentences of 18 months on each of the drugs offences, and no separate punishment on the criminal property offence - to start from the date of sentence.

This will have the effect of extending his current custodial term as it will mean he will have "a relatively short" time still to serve after his planned release date in November.