A Cardiff man has been given a substantial prison sentence after a late-night slumber in a stranger’s house led police to uncover his involvement in drug dealing. Callum Williams, 30, from Heol Poyston, Caerau, was caught by law enforcement sleeping soundly on a sofa in a property he had no legal right to be in, whilst surrounded by a significant stash of cash and illegal drugs.
The drama unfolded on 29th May 2025, when officers were dispatched to an address on Parker Road, Ely, after concerns were raised about the security of the house. The property, left unattended as its tenant was incarcerated, was thought to be empty. However, the routine check swiftly turned into a criminal investigation when police found Williams fast asleep inside.
Prosecutor Sophie Keegan told Cardiff Crown Court that Williams explained to officers he had stayed the night as the house belonged to a friend. Nonetheless, suspicions were quickly raised when police discovered a shoe box in close proximity to the sofa, containing £2,685 in cash, a Nokia mobile phone, white powder, and several resealable bags—clear telltale signs associated with drug activity.
Subsequent tests of the white powder confirmed it to be cocaine, with police estimating its street value between £1,140 and £1,500. The discoveries did not end there; an upstairs search unveiled digital weighing scales and further quantities of cocaine, culminating in a total haul of roughly 550g—indicative of operations far beyond simple personal use. Williams initially insisted some of the drugs were for his own use, but denied knowledge of the rest.
The investigation deepened with an examination of the recovered Nokia phone, which uncovered numerous messages consistent with drug dealing. The device’s contact list included members of Williams’ family—a further suggestion it was his personal handset and not one abandoned by another party.
Williams was no stranger to law enforcement. The court heard he had been convicted on 12 previous occasions for a total of 19 offences, though only one prior conviction, in 2011, related to drug matters—and that was a minor case involving cannabis while he was still a juvenile. Defence solicitor Cora Sorensen explained to the court that Williams’ circumstances had spiralled in the lead-up to his arrest: estrangement from family had left him homeless, and he was in noticeably poor health at the time police found him. In court, his family offered support, highlighting efforts he has made whilst in custody to move away from drug use.
Accepting his plea of guilty to charges of possession with intent to supply cocaine, Judge Claire Pickthall observed that Williams was operating in a significant role, demonstrating awareness of the extent of the supply network. The Recorder acknowledged the defendant’s deep-rooted addiction to cocaine, which she said had played a role in his offending. However, the scale and organisation of the operation left little doubt as to his culpability.
Williams was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. The judge explained that, as per sentencing guidelines, Williams will serve up to half his sentence in custody before being eligible for release on licence. The matter will not end there, with a further hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) scheduled in the future to consider the confiscation of assets gained through his criminal enterprise.
Cases such as Williams’ shine a spotlight on the often-complicated interplay between personal substance abuse and wider criminal activity. While courts must tread a balance between recognising the circumstances of addiction and the need to punish and deter offences which blight communities, the case serves as a reminder of the pathways through which individuals can become ensnared in drug trafficking networks.
The community of Ely and the wider Cardiff area remain vigilant as authorities continue efforts to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs. The outcome of the POCA hearing will likely determine whether Williams faces any further financial penalties, reinforcing the message that crime does not pay in the long run.