A Swindon couple have been jailed after a taxi’s CCTV caught their side hustle on camera – uncovering an illegal business operating daily.
Donna Midgeley, 32, and Jordan Williams, 35, were arrested and charged after an investigation launched into the supply of cocaine across Swindon.
On 24 May 2022, officers observed a suspected drug deal taking place in the Aldi car park in Mead Way, between Williams and Malcolm Dennis, 50, of Bradshaw Court, Haydon End.
Dennis was then seen to supply onwards an ounce of cocaine to a local taxi driver named Daniel Wells, 43, of Perrys Lane, Wroughton. Both Dennis and Wells were stopped and arrested.
Helpfully, Wells’ CCTV cameras in his vehicle captured the transaction. Both men were subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to drugs offences, for which they were given suspended prison sentences.
Officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) then moved their focus to the activities of Midgeley and Williams. It was immediately apparent that the pair were working together, conducting multiple suspected drug deals every evening after finishing work.
The investigation team identified a self-storage unit being rented by Midgeley and witnessed her and Williams carrying a filing cabinet into the unit.
Warrants were obtained and on 13 October 2022, Midgeley and Williams were arrested and their home and storage unit searched.
Located at the home address in Longstock Court, Eastleaze, were several individual deals of cocaine, along with a substantial amount of cash.
The self-storage unit only contained the filing cabinet, which contained Midgeley’s work uniform, scales, gloves, and over 750 grams of cocaine valued at between £50,000 and £75,000.
Police forensic investigators later recovered Williams’ fingerprints from the packaging.
Midgeley and Williams were both charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine, to which they pleaded guilty.
At a hearing at Swindon Crown Court yesterday (15 December), Williams was jailed for four years and eight months and Midgley was jailed for four years and three months.
DS Hilton, of Wiltshire Police’s SOCU, said: “This was simply a case of greed – both Midgeley and Williams had full time jobs and a roof over their head.
“They worked together to sell substantial amounts of cocaine across Swindon and North Wiltshire while enjoying the trappings of their profits, mainly spending their money on executive vehicles.
“While they attempted to conceal their activities and distance themselves from the drugs at the self-storage unit, Midgeley’s uniform and name badge being stored in the filing cabinet, with the cocaine, was too much for them to argue.
“We will now look to recover their earnings by selling the cars and property seized from them under the Proceeds of Crime legislation.
“Selling drugs will always attract the attention of the police.
“We cannot operate without the assistance of the general public who provide us with the information we base our investigations on, and we continue to encourage people to report anything suspicious, no matter how small, as every small piece helps us to build a case.”
