A Hermes driver who used his delivery van to transport heroin from Cross Hands to Newport has been sentenced to over three years in prison.

Sentencing delivery driver Thomas James earlier this week, Judge Paul Thomas said the Class A drug he’d supplied had ‘brought untold misery to users and their families’.

“You come from an affluent and supportive family and yet you went into this enterprise with your eyes wide open,” he said.

Swansea Crown Court was told that James used his Hermes delivery van to transport the heroin from west Wales to Newport on six separate occasions.

He was apprehended by Dyfed Powys Police officers at Pont Abraham service station on April 4, 2022, as he attempted to make the drugs run for the seventh time.

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A search of his vehicle discovered drugs with a street value of £17,000; he was also found to be in possession of £140 in cash.

The court heard that James appeared nervous when confronted by officers and walked around to the rear of his Ford van.

When the officers tried to restrain him he wriggled out of his jacket causing an officer to fall and sustain an injury.

Additional officers were summoned to the scene and James was arrested and taken into custody.

Once he was detained, he refused to give officers a pin number for his phone, however a police investigation using automatic number plate recognition discovered he had carried out six separate trips to deal the drugs.

He later told officers that it was smaller quantities on those occasions, but Judge Paul Thomas said the total would have created a substantial quantity.

James, 35, of Heddfan, Llanddarog pleaded guilty to charges of possessing diamorphine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of diamorphine and of assaulting PC Grant Limebear in the execution of his duties.

James confirmed he had been a heroin user at the time of the offence and, whilst employed by the Hermes delivery service, he decided to embark on what was described as a ‘commercial arrangement’ to transport money to Newport and bring drugs back after being approached by a third party.

His understanding was that he would be paid £200 and half an ounce of heroin for the service. 

Thomas James was sentenced to a total of three years and six months in prison.