A MAN from Rhyl who was involved in the supply of drugs including cocaine and heroin has been jailed.

Sam Stopforth, 32, of Norman Drive, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (June 26).

His co-defendant – Alex Whitehouse, 28, of River Street – was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half.

Stopforth had previously admitted charges including being concerned in the supply of, and possession with intent to supply, cocaine and heroin.

Whitehouse had also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply both cocaine and heroin.

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Prosecuting, Myles Wilson told the court that, on November 5, 2021, plain-clothed police officers saw Whitehouse meeting two suspected drug users near a railway footbridge in Rhyl.

Whitehouse was searched, and 16 and 11 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine respectively were found, as well as £300 in cash and a “burner phone”.

He told officers he had been staying at an address on Norman Drive – police attended, and as officers arrived, they saw Stopforth begin to run away as he saw them.

Stopforth was chased and eventually arrested, and the garden shed at the Norman Drive property was searched.

A rucksack inside it was found to contain 668 wraps of crack cocaine and a set of scales, within inside Stopforth’s bedroom, police discovered nine and four wraps of crack cocaine and heroin respectively, as well as a “dealer’s list”.

Police then executed a warrant at Stopforth’s address on October 13, 2022 – in his bedroom, more than six grams of cocaine, worth £400 to £600, was found.

In addition, 779 grams of cannabis, with a street value of about £10,000, and 885 grams of ketamine, with a street value of about £17,700, were also discovered, as well as cash, scales and another “dealer’s list”.

Police later began investigating a phone number being used to sell drugs in North Wales in October 2023.

This led officers to Stopforth, who was arrested in possession of the phone in question in February 2024 – he has been remanded in custody since then.

CCTV showed him buying a “top-up” for that phone in November 2023; Stopforth had regularly sent messages advertising the sales of cocaine and heroin from the phone.

Defending Stopforth, who had previous convictions for 28 offences, Simon Killeen said his client has “remorse” for his actions.

Mr Killeen said Stopforth “wants to start afresh, do his time, and move on,” adding that he is now in a stable relationship and “does have some prospects”.

Representing Whitehouse, who had no previous convictions, Duncan Bould said he has suffered a significant deterioration in his physical health since these matters came to light.

He is awaiting an operation, and also suffers from depression.

“His involvement was very limited,” Mr Bould added.

Sentencing, Judge Rhys Rowlands criticised the “shocking delay” in bringing the two defendants before the court for sentencing.

Labelling it “unacceptable”, he directed that the Crown Prosecution Service provide him with an explanation.

“It simply isn’t good enough, and I simply do not understand it,” Judge Rowlands said.

“What are the people of Rhyl to make of this?”

Judge Rowlands also commended the “excellent work” by the police officers who uncovered the defendants’ criminality.

He told Stopforth: “You’d have known the risks you were running by involving yourself in the supply of drugs on this scale. It wasn’t a one-off.”

Whitehouse was also ordered to complete rehabilitation activity requirements and pay a £156 statutory surcharge.