A university drop-out has been found in possession of more than £1,000 worth of cocaine after being stopped by police for driving under the influence of cannabis. Josh Murphy, 25, was discovered to be involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis. The incident took place when he was pulled over by police in Bridgend on May 20 last year while driving a white Ford Fiesta. Officers detected a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the vehicle, and Murphy subsequently tested positive for the drug. During a search of the car, a Tesco bag containing cannabis and various drug-related items were found, including rolling papers, a grinder, and weighing scales.
In his wallet, £400 in cash and a packet of white powder identified as cocaine were discovered. Following the seizure of an iPhone from the vehicle, messages related to the supply of cocaine and cannabis were found. A police dog search of the car led to the discovery of a container holding 11 grip seal bags of cocaine. Further searches at Murphy’s home in Pencoed resulted in the uncovering of £730 in cash, cocaine, diazepam tablets, weighing scales, and zip-lock bags.
The total amount of drugs seized included 58 street deals of cocaine, weighing 22.13g with a street value estimated between £1,160 and £1,740, as well as four street deals of cannabis weighing 1.8g valued at £20. Murphy admitted to possessing cocaine, cannabis, and bromazepam with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and supplying cannabis. He attributed his actions to a dependency on drugs, leading to an emotional breakdown and his decision to drop out of university.
During his sentencing at Newport Crown Court, Recorder John Philpotts highlighted the seriousness of drug offences in society, especially among young people. Murphy received a three-year prison sentence, with a requirement to serve half of it in custody before completing the remainder on licence. His defence counsel described him as operating as a “one man band” and expressed confidence in his family support network’s ability to prevent future offending.