Bridgend grandmother let drug dealer boyfriend hide £6,000 of cocaine in her fridge

A grandmother has been jailed after allowing her drug dealer boyfriend to store more than £6,000 worth of cocaine in her fridge.

When police raided the Bridgend home of Rachel Williams, 38, they found a blue bag containing three other clear bags in the fridge.

One was found to contain cocaine, with another holding three wraps of cocaine.

The total amount of the drug weighed 56g, which was valued between £3,200 and £6,400.

A shopping bag containing 178g of amphetamine worth between £890 and £1,780 was also found, as well as a bum bag with £1,600 in it.

Her boyfriend, Gareth Boast, arrived while police were still at the house on Margam Street, Maesteg, Bridgend. He tried to escape but was detained and arrested, as was Williams.

Boast, 43, told one of the officers he needed a prison bag, saying: "I'm not getting out after this."

During her interview with police, Williams said she had no involvement in supplying drugs but accepted she knew about the bags in the fridge, although not what they contained.

Boast, of Margam Street, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply controlled class A and class B drugs. The court heard he had previous convictions for the supply, possession and production of drugs. 

Williams pleaded guilty to permitting the use of premises for the supply of controlled class A and B drugs. The court heard she had previous convictions, including for offering to supply class B and C, as well possession of drugs.

Mitigating for Boast, Tom Roberts said his client had been a "long-standing" heavy user of cocaine and amphetamine, and added he was using them to self-medicate for mental health issues. Mr Roberts added his client had gained little financial advantage from dealing, with the proceeds spent on funding his own habit.

Kevin Seal, mitigating for Williams, said his client was determined to make changes to her life to help herself, her family, her teenage daughter and grandson. He said Williams was "willing to turn a blind eye" to her partner's dealing.

Boast was sentenced to three years in prison while Williams was jailed for 20 months. Sentencing, Judge Neil Bidder KC said: "Boast, you did expect to make significant financial gain from the onward supply of those drugs."

Addressing Williams, he added that "you also expected to share in significant financial gain from the drugs."

After the sentences were handed out, a tearful Williams called Boast a "f*****g p****", to which he responded: "Oi."