A woman arrested in Cardiff city centre with a lit cannabis joint in her hand was later found to be carrying a steak knife, an iPad and quantities of cocaine, leading to a three-year prison sentence.
Louise Clarke, 29, of Grand Avenue, Ely, was first detained by police on December 8, 2023, while a passenger in a black Ford Fiesta. Officers followed the car from City Road to Crwys Road before it pulled over.
Arrest and searches
At a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, the court heard the vehicle smelled of cannabis and that Clarke had recently lit a joint that was still in her hand. A search found her in possession of a steak knife, an iPad and cannabis, and messages on the iPad indicated she had been involved in drug dealing.
When taken to Cardiff Bay police station for another search, she told officers: "Oh, you're going to find the drugs." The search uncovered four bags of cocaine worth between £60 and £80, and a search of her address led to the seizure of scales, grip seal bags and a Taser.
Second arrest and guilty plea
Prosecutor Tabitha Walker said Clarke was arrested again on January 5 this year on suspicion of supplying class A drugs, telling police there was a bag of cocaine in her shorts. Officers found 29 snap bags containing 5.51g of cocaine worth a total of £560. Examination of her phone revealed drug-related messages and tick lists.
Clarke pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of an offensive weapon. The court heard she has three previous convictions, including offences of possessing class B drugs and being carried in a motor vehicle taken without consent.
Mitigation and sentence
In mitigation, Mukhtiar Ubhi said his client was still a young woman with a "difficult upbringing and difficult life", noting she had lost her father and that her mother was a cocaine addict. He said she had been exploited and fell into difficulty with drugs, her mental health and accommodation.
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You knew you were playing for high stakes to make money. You knew you were playing for high stakes and you lost." Clarke was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment.
