Pontardawe man jailed for selling drugs to 12-year-old girl

A MAN who sold drugs to a 12-year-old girl and her 16-year-old friend for just £2 has been jailed.

Paul Anthony Price is today behind bars after he sold the two girls three Valium tablets for £2. Price, 31, approached the girls as they walked by the canal in Pontardawe at around 8pm on November 12 asking if they could change a £10 note for him.

When they said no, one of the girls asked, “Have you got any fags to sell?” and after searching his jacket he told them he did not. Barrister Ian Ibrahim, prosecuting at Swansea Crown Court, said: “He then said, ‘I might have some at home but I have got some Valium to buy if you want them’.”

Price, of Herbert Street, Pontardawe, told the girls he would sell them the two Class C tablets for £1.50 each, but then offered two for £2. “He then gave them the tablets from a small bag in his pocket,” said Mr Ibrahim.

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“They shared the tablets between them and were walking home. As they reached the school, they saw some friends and described what had happened. Their friends told them not to take them, and they threw them away.”

Details of the incident were later told to the mother of the older girl, who called her daughter and asked if she had bought drugs earlier that day.

After his arrest, Price said: “I didn’t know what their age was.”

Rhys Thomas, representing Price, said: “He is realistic about what sentence you are likely to impose today. He realises that there aren’t many, if any mitigating factors at all.

“He realises how foolish he has been and he should have known the girls weren’t 18 and is remorseful for selling the drugs to him,” said Mr Thomas.

He told Judge Huw Davies that his client was a heroin user but has reduced his intake since being jailed for 12 weeks in November. “He indicates to me he is off drugs and is clean and wants to remain off drugs,” said Mr Thomas.

Judge Davies told Price: “There’s no evidence you knew of their ages but it must have been apparent to you they were young people. You made no enquiries.

“They threw them away and no harm was done as a result of you taking these tablets but young people were put at risk and that’s entirely your fault.

“It must be regarded as an offence which can only attract a custodial sentence because these drugs were sold to two young people,” he added.

Price, who admitted supplying Class C drugs, was jailed for ten months.