A POWYS man has been jailed after magistrates activated a suspended prison term handed down to him last year after he attacked his former partner.

Gethin Mark Jarman, 32, is beginning a 14-week custodial sentence after he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 9, and admitted two charges of drug driving.

Jarman, of Cwrt-y-Castell, Builth Wells, was stopped by police driving a Renault Traffic on the A483 in Llanelwedd on the evening of May 7 this year.

Floor layer Jarman failed a roadside drug test and was arrested; he had both cocaine and Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine compound, in his blood.

Prosecutor Stephen Davies said: “It was just before 8pm when PC Mark Jones stopped a Renault Traffic, the driver was the defendant.

“His pupils were pinpointed and he appeared to be sweating. A roadside drug test was positive.”

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Both amounts of drugs were way above the legal limit, with Jarman having 800 micrograms of Benzoylecgonine in his blood – the legal limit is 50 – and 65 micrograms of cocaine, above the legal limit of 10 micrograms.

Mr Davies said that Jarman had received a suspended one-year prison term in November 2021. His ex-partner had woke in the early hours of the morning on June 30, 2021, to find him “prowling around” her home. He admitted assaulting her and was handed a four-month suspended prison sentence last December.

Representing Jarman this week, Richard Griffiths told magistrates it would be “unjust” to activate the sentence as drug driving is a different offence.

"He had split up from his partner and didn’t see his children for six months, which is why he got himself in a state with cocaine," he said.

Mr Griffiths added: “He has reference letters and letters from himself, in which he speaks of his shame. He is remorseful and has sought help from Kaleidoscope. He has mental health problems and has been treated for anxiety.”

But in a report, probation officer Joe Long said he had returned to a previous pattern of offending, adding: “His drug addiction is taking over his daily functioning and a period of custody may help him withdraw from his drug use and see him re-engage with his family.”

When the case was brought back before magistrates, Mr Griffiths added: “The threat of prison is real but he has managed to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of his ex-partner.

“He is improving, not deteriorating. He knows he’s got a problem and is addressing it. This is not as gloomy a picture as probation paint.”

Geraint Evans, chairman of the bench, told Jarman: “Irrespective of the nature of the second offence, you were told that the suspended sentence would be activated if you offended again. This is what will be done today.”

Magistrates activated the suspended sentence but reduced the time Jarman will serve from 16 weeks to 14. They added four weeks for the drug driving offences, but to be served concurrently.

He was banned from driving for 59 weeks and must pay a surcharge of £128 upon his release.