A MAN from Holyhead who was concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine has been jailed along with his wife.

Dean Evans, 54, and Helen Evans, 42, both of Queens Park Close, were sentenced to prison at Caernarfon Crown Court today (March 7) for their involvement in a County Lines drugs operation.

A couple of other defendants from Holyhead; Mandy Madine, 43, of Holborn Close; and Bethan Farr, 49, of Peibio Close; received suspended sentences.

Prosecuting, David Mainstone told the court that the total amounts of cocaine and heroin found weighed 63.85g and 12.3g respectively, and roughly £10,000 in cash was seized.

On December 4, 2020, officers stopped a vehicle near Deeside travelling back into North Wales, in which Farr and Mr Evans were found.

Roadside and police station searches found wraps of cocaine and heroin in Farr’s bra, knickers and vagina, while more than £1,000 was also seized.

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A couple of phones were seized, one of which was in a case along with Farr’s bank card and driving licence.

Messages on the phone implicated Farr and Mr and Mrs Evans in the supply of class A drugs.

A search carried out at Farr’s address found two sets of scales, and more heroin and cocaine, while a pot containing of three bags of cocaine and crack cocaine was retrieved from her kitchen.

Farr said the drugs found in her underwear were for her own personal use, and that the drugs found at her home had been bought “ages ago”.

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On December 22, 2020, a warrant was executed at Mr and Mrs Evans’ address, which found roughly £5,000, a knuckle duster on the floor, notebooks identified as “tick lists”, heroin, crack cocaine, and scales.

Messages from Mrs Evans on her seized phone implicated Madine in the operation.

A warrant was executed at Farr’s home on January 29, 2021, which found five small bags of heroin in one of the pillowcases she had been sleeping on with a street value of up to £900.

More drugs were found in her bedside cabinet, as well as notepads identified as “tick lists”, sets of scales, and a phone.

Messages exchanged between Farr and both Mr and Mrs Evans showed that Mr Evans had accused her of stealing money, creating a rift between them.

Farr had said she felt “used” by them both, and blamed them for the fact that she was facing jail.

On March 24, 2021, a warrant was executed at Madine’s home, where wraps of heroin and crack cocaine were found in a tin on her coffee table.

More drugs were found on her shelves, while two “tick lists” were found in a drawer, and a bag in her kitchen cupboard contained scales, scissors, and sandwich bags.

In the bottom of her clothing drawer, £840 was found wrapped in a plastic bag, while a phone with a broken screen was seized from her living room.

Madine said the drugs were for her personal use, that the money seized was her savings, and that the scales and sandwich bags were used for preparing food.

Her phone contained messages further implicating Mr and Mrs Evans – Madine sent a message to a third party on December 22 asking if the couple had been “busted”.

On April 17, 2021, a police constable was driving along Holborn Road when he saw a Peugeot vehicle, the driver of which he recognised immediately as Mrs Evans.

She was seen parking outside Madine’s flat, before Mr Evans exited the car and walked towards the property.

The officer stopped and searched him, finding more than £3,000 found under his trousers on his right leg, which had been contaminated with class A drugs.

More money was found in a bag and in the Peugeot car, and both Mr and Mrs Evans were again arrested.

A phone seized from the car was found to contain a message from Mr Evans to his son on March 27.

Extracts from the message read that he had told his son that he had “had a bad hit again the other day… well, Mandy did… ‘bizzies’ saying some funky stuff… people make their own choice. I don’t force it on them.”

Mr Evans, Mrs Evans, Farr and Madine had 50, 14, eight and one previous convictions respectively

Madine and Farr were described as having been “exploited to an extent” by Mr and Mrs Evans, who were said to have had a “management role” in the operation.

In mitigation, the court heard that Mr and Mrs Evans had met through another heroin addict.

After discovering Mr Evans had been unfaithful to her, their relationship ended, but they remained married.

Mrs Evans was said to have been clean for about two years, during which time she entered a new relationship, and later gave a birth to a daughter, now six years old.

The court heard that Mr Evans was involved in a serious car accident in 2018, after which the couple’s relationship grew again, and she “slipped back into drug addiction”.

Defending Mrs Evans, Matthew Kerruish-Jones said: “The tragedy of this case is that she is a mother; she has a young daughter, with whom she has complicated relationship.

“Her addiction to drugs has taken over.

Representing Mr Evans, Mark Phillips labelled his client a “victim of drug culture”, and while he accepted custody was inevitable, he urged the shortest prison sentence possible due to his health issues.

Both Farr and Madine was described as having played a “lesser role” in the operation, with Madine in particular having been “acting under direction”.

Farr was also said to be caring for her elderly father.

Judge Nicola Saffman issued the following sentences:

  • Dean Evans was jailed for five years and four months.
  • Helen Evans was jailed for four years and six months.
  • Bethan Farr was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for the same period.
  • Mandy Madine was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Both Farr and Madine must also complete nine months of drug rehabilitation and 40 days’ rehabilitation activity, and pay a £156 statutory surcharge.

Judge Saffman labelled some of the defendants’ claims, including Mr Evans saying that the money seized was his savings, as “absolute nonsense”.

She ordered all of the drugs and drug-dealing paraphernalia to be forfeited and destroyed, and for the money seized to be given to police.