Suspended sentence for dealer who kept £25k under bed

Cai Whitmarsh-Williams appeared at Exeter Crown Court

A man who created his own online drug supply business and had more than £25,000 in cash hidden in a shoe box under his bed has been given a suspended sentence.

Exeter Crown Court heard Cai Whitmarsh-Williams, 23, admit four charges of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and possessing cannabis and a fifth charge of concealing criminal property - the cash in the shoe box.

Whitmarsh-Williams was 19 when he started the operation selling different forms of cannabis - including oil, wax and sweets - as well as Class A magic mushrooms in Honiton, Devon.

Handing the defendant a two-year jail term, suspended for two years, Judge David Evans said he had "made considerable profits".

Whitmarsh-Williams, now of Sea Mills in Bristol, made about £63,000 according to bank statements, the court heard.

The judge said he would face a Proceeds of Crime Act application next year to repay the money he made.

'Entrepreneurial brain'

Rachel Smith, defending, said he began smoking cannabis aged 13 and it was an entrenched habit by 15 which he could no longer afford.

Ms Smith said Whitmarsh-Williams realised, with his "entrepreneurial brain", there was money to be made from supplying various strains of cannabis and other commodities.

She said he made no attempt to disguise himself or his illegal operation and it "went far beyond funding his own habit".

Since his arrest, she said Whitmarsh-Williams had given up drugs and completed a degree and had also sought help for anxiety and depression.