Dealer who bought Banksy with cannabis cash jailed

A drug dealer who bought a work by the artist Banksy with "ill-gotten gains" has been sentenced to three years in prison.

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

He was one of eight people who appeared in court on Friday for a variety of offences, including conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering.

Gwent Police seized a Banksy piece called the Grappling Hook, along with other of the artist's works, the court heard.

Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said Scrivens played a lead role and his phone contained "a lengthy history of his drug dealing".

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

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

Mr Griffiths said Scrivens used somebody else’s bank account to buy the Banksy and that "ill-gotten gains were part of that purchase".

Scrivens pleaded guilty to cannabis importation and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Nigel Fryer, defending Scrivens, said his client co-operated with police and handed over another Banksy called The Cross.

Judge Vanessa Francis said he invested in "expensive art" in an effort to distance himself from his crimes.

During sentencing Scrivens high-fived and hugged his co-defendants in the dock.

The court heard David Jenkins, 47, from Ebbw Vale, entered into a money laundering agreement with Scrivens.

He invested £23,000 of his own money into one of the Banksy works, and received £4,000 of cannabis cash from Scrivens.

The court heard both men believed they could sell the painting for £150,000, and kept it in a friend’s house.

It was told Jenkins has 13 convictions for 26 offences, including three for domestic abuse, which resulted in restraining orders.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 10 days rehabilitation activity and 50 hours unpaid work in the community.

A Banksy mosaic was recovered when police searched the home of Scrivens' partner Rebecca Mills, from Ebbw Vale.

The court heard she allowed £22,000 to pass through her account. Her sentencing was adjourned to a later date.

Scrivens' partner in crime, Kyle Webber, from Ebbw Vale, supplied cannabis to street users and grew his own.

He was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis and producing a controlled drug and given a two-year community order with rehabilitation work and unpaid work.

Daniel Jones, 39, from Ebbw Vale - a chef at Scrivens’ business - was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis and given a 12-month community order with 15 days rehabilitation activity and 40 hours of unpaid work.

Cory Roe, 39, from Ebbw Vale, acted as a cannabis plant "babysitter" and was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Scott Hodkinson, who had a "close connection" to Scrivens, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis and possessing criminal property, which was holding cash on behalf of Scrivens.

He also received an 18-month community order with 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Scrivens' neighbour Becky Williams, who was asked to remove £23,000 from a bag for him, was heard to have played a lesser role and was acting under his direction.

She was sentenced to an 18-month community order with eight days of rehabilitation activity and 40 hours of unpaid work.

During the sentencing Scrivens high-fived and hugged his co-defendants in the dock before he left to begin his sentence.