A former Welshpool drug dealer praised for turning his life around has avoided being sent to prison for sending threatening and abusive messages to his ex-girlfriend and having more than £1,000 worth of cannabis in his kitchen.

Dale McEvoy, 23, sent 18 "nasty and vengeful" voice messages on Facebook in one day to his former girlfriend who has been left with significant psychological issues.

Mold Crown Court was also told that the former dealer-turned-gastropub chef was under pressure from higher up the drug dealing chain and lost all his profit to his supplier.

He was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months due to his "genuine and significant" remorse and attempts to rehabilitate himself during the last 18 months.

The court heard that McEvoy had his house searched by police after they caught him with cocaine and £340 cash following reports from the public about drug dealing along a canal footpath near Welshpool town centre in July 2020.

Police officers found a number of containers, snap bags, cannabis stems, scales with traces of cocaine and freezer bags containing more than £1,000 worth of cannabis. Pictures of McEvoy smoking a joint and a bag of cannabis, and text messages asking him to supply them with the drug were found on his phone. McEvoy told police that the cash was his furlough money.

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Then in October 2021, McEvoy's relationship with his girlfriend ended and he became upset and angry when their landlord told him he was giving notice on their rented house.

McEvoy told his ex-girlfriend in a series of abusive voice messages that "I hate you every little bit of you. I promise you will lose everything you care about."

Another called her "pure f***ing evil".

In an impact statement his victim told the judge that McEvoy's "complete control" over their relationship in 2021 had "destroyed" her.

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Simon Rogers, mitigating, told the court: "It is clear he was emotional. He was going to lose his home and his relationship had ended. None of that excuses what he did but he has made full admissions, there's remorse and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

"The overall picture is of a young man who has made every effort to improve himself and made every effort to gain stability in his life. His life has been one of instability."

Mr Rogers read a reference from McEvoy's employer who gave him a job as a trainee chef at 16 years old: "I was impressed by his politeness, work ethic and desire to a better life despite his chaotic home life. Over the next few years I watched as his life unravel and tragedy began.

"But here is where the triumph begins: with his age and life experience Dale has begun to change and is determined to get his life on track."

Judge Nicola Saffman sentenced McEvoy, of High Street, Welshpool, to 16 weeks in prison for possession with intent to supply cannabis and supplying cannabis, and 10 weeks for malicious communications, all suspended for 12 months.

"I am satisfied that you were not engaged in drug dealing for financial gain," she said. "You were a street dealer.

"You are at the very beginning of turning your life around and you no longer participate in dealing drugs that blight communities particularly rural communities.

"The significant distress caused doesn’t come close to how your offending has had on your ex-girlfriend."

McEvoy must also pay £500 in compensation to his ex-girlfriend, £500 court costs and a £140 victim surcharge. The judge ordered the forfeit and destruction of the drugs, drug paraphernalia and the deprivation of cash "so police can use it towards the fight against drugs in mid Wales".