Dealer who bought Banksy with cannabis cash jailed

A cause trader who bought a Banksy with "ill-gotten gains" has been sentenced to 3 years successful prison.

Christopher Scrivens, from Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, wanted to "flood the valleys" with Californian cannabis, Newport Crown Court heard.

He was 1 of 8 radical who appeared successful tribunal connected Friday for a assortment of offences including conspiracy to proviso drugs and wealth laundering.

Gwent Police seized a Banksy portion called the Grappling Hook, on with "other items of Banksy artwork and sculpture", the tribunal heard.

Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said Scrivens played a pb relation and his telephone contained "a lengthy past of his cause dealing".

The tribunal heard Scrivens roped his friends, employees and a neighbour into his offending.

He imported £104,880 worthy of cannabis and told a co-conspirator helium "intended to flood the valleys with cannabis".

Mr Griffiths said Scriven utilized idiosyncratic else’s slope relationship to bargain the Banksy and that, "ill-gotten gains were portion of that purchase".

Scrivens pleaded blameworthy to cannabis importation and conspiracy to proviso cannabis.

Nigel Fryer, defending Scrivens, said his lawsuit co-operated with the constabulary and handed implicit different Banksy artwor called The Cross.

Judge Vanessa Francis said helium invested successful "expensive art" successful an effort to region himself from his crimes.

Police besides searched the location of Scrivens' spouse Rebecca Mills, besides from Ebbw Vale, and recovered a Banksy mosaic.

The tribunal heard she allowed £22,000 to walk done her account. Her sentencing was adjourned to a aboriginal date.

Srivens' concern spouse Kyle Webber, from Ebbw Vale, supplied cannabis to thoroughfare users and grew his own.

He was convicted of conspiracy to proviso cannabis and producing a controlled cause and fixed a two-year assemblage bid with rehabilitation enactment and unpaid work.

Daniel Jones, 39, from Ebbw Vale - a cook astatine Scrivens’ concern - was convicted of conspiracy to proviso cannabis and fixed a 12-month assemblage bid with 15 days rehabilitation enactment and 40 hours of unpaid work.

Cory Roe, 39, from Ebbw Vale, acted arsenic a cannabis works "babysitter" and was convicted of conspiracy to proviso cannabis.

He was sentenced to a 12-month assemblage bid with 20 days of rehabilitation enactment and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Scott Hodkinson, who had a "close connection" to Scrivens, was convicted of conspiracy to proviso cannabis and possessing transgression property, which was holding currency connected behalf of Scrivens.

He besides received an 18-month assemblage bid with 20 days of rehabilitation enactment and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Scrivens' neighbour Becky Williams, who was asked to region £23,000 from a container for him, was heard to person played a lesser rotation and was acting nether the absorption of Scrivens.

She was sentenced to an 18-month assemblage bid with 8 days of rehabilitation enactment and 40 hours of unpaid work.