'Greedy' couple topped up their £60K income by selling cocaine

A couple who topped up their £60,000 a year earnings by selling cocaine out of "sheer greed" have been jailed.

Trenae Greenland, 30, and Katie Barrington, 29, sold drugs on behalf of their own supplier, earning £100 a day during the week and double at weekends.

Cardiff Crown Court was told that as well as funding their own cocaine habit, the pair, from Newport, spent the money on expensive clothes and shoes.

The couple, who had been in a relationship for five years, were caught in October 2020 after a police officer became suspicious of their VW Golf parked near flats in Newport.

After stopping and searching the vehicle, police found cash, bags of white powder, and an iPhone which was "ringing continuously".

After being arrested, Greenland and Barrington each gave "no comment" interviews.

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When Greenland's home was searched officers found high value clothes, shoes, and cash.

On their phones, detectives found conversations complaining about the money they were getting, including one conversation where they expressed frustration over being paid £600 the previous week when they had sold 50 bags on the Saturday alone.

The court was also told the pair talked about the hours they wanted to work, and about the expensive VIP holidays they planned to book.

Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, said: "Both these young women were in it for financial gain. They were using cocaine but it is clear their motivation was greed."

Both pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property.

They were each jailed for two years and eight months.

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Mitigating, Kevin Seal for Greenland, said they turned to dealing after getting into £5,000 worth of debt to their dealer.

He claimed she was in "the ravages of addiction", at the time of the offence, and the conversations about expensive holidays and holidays were just "dreams".

Nicholas Gedge, for Barrington, said she had been working in a responsible job when she was offered what "seemed to be a way out" of the debt she was in, but added she had been just "treading water" and the debt never seemed to get smaller.

Judge DJ Hale said the pair had been in a stable relationship and with good jobs that together brought in a household income of £60,000 but had thrown it all away through "sheer greed".

He said both defendants had used cocaine as part of their social lives and, given their joint income, could have secured a loan to pay off their debts but instead choose "a different way out".