## Swansea Man Jailed Again After Return to Drug Dealing Shortly After Prison Release
In a disappointing turn of events, a Swansea man who recently left prison has been sentenced to four more years behind bars after he was caught supplying cocaine, just two months after his release. The case, heard at Swansea Crown Court, brings renewed attention to the ongoing challenges of rehabilitating offenders and combatting local drug crime.
The individual at the heart of the case, 28-year-old Sean Rowles, had previously served part of a 40-month sentence for offences involving both the possession and distribution of crack cocaine. This earlier conviction related to an operation run from a flat in Dyfatty, where Rowles had been dealing with his previous partner. However, the lessons of his former punishment appeared to have little effect.
In the early hours of 16 April this year, police officers confronted Rowles and a woman companion on Eaton Crescent, in the Uplands area of Swansea. During the search, officers discovered the woman carrying electronic weighing scales concealed under her jumper, a tool often associated with drug measurement. Rowles himself was found with £355 in cash and a mobile phone, which police quickly determined contained incriminating messages linked to drug dealing.
Authorities followed up at what they believed to be Rowles’ most recent address, the White House Hotel in nearby Uplands. While no further drugs were discovered at the scene, officers did find Rowles’ iPhone submerged in a toilet, seemingly an attempt to destroy potential evidence.
Upon his arrest and subsequent strip search at Swansea Central police station, police discovered 12.9 grams of cocaine concealed on Rowles. The nature and quantity of the drugs led to the charge of possession with intent to supply – an offence carrying lengthy prison terms under UK law.
Andrew Evans, representing the defendant in court, outlined Rowles’ struggles upon re-entering society. He noted that Rowles had initially complied with the terms of his Probation Service release, but old pressures – described in court as “debts from previous dealing” – quickly resurfaced. According to Evans, it was these unresolved issues that led Rowles back to criminal activity, undermining attempts at rehabilitation.
Judge Geraint Walters, passing sentence, expressed frustration over Rowles’ failure to learn from his earlier incarceration. The judge remarked that it was only months after being granted his licence that Rowles reverted to selling Class A drugs, suggesting a disregard for both the law and the chances given to him.
In recognition of Rowles’ guilty plea, the court granted a one-third reduction in his sentence – a legal provision intended to encourage admissions of guilt and expedite the judicial process. Nevertheless, Rowles must now serve up to half his new four-year sentence in custody, with the remainder to be served on licence in the community, running concurrently with the rest of his previous term.
Additionally, Judge Walters ordered that the £355 seized from Rowles be forfeited to South Wales Police as part of wider efforts to combat the spread of hard drugs throughout the region. The sentencing highlights not only the difficulties faced by former offenders in breaking the cycle of criminal behaviour, but also the persistent risks they pose to communities when rehabilitation efforts fail.
Interestingly, the court decided not to pursue further action against the woman who was found with the scales. Judge Walters voiced his surprise at this outcome, noting that such decision-making by police is “constantly” surprising to him, particularly when equipment closely linked to drug distribution is discovered during an arrest.
The Rowles case serves as a stark reminder of the complex, human dimension underlying statistics on crime and reoffending. As the criminal justice system continues to grapple with the dual aims of punishment and rehabilitation, it remains to be seen whether harsher sentences or wider social support offer the most effective deterrents. Authorities in Swansea and beyond continue to urge anyone with information about drug dealing in their community to come forward, as the fight to reduce local drug crime remains an ongoing challenge.