Man used debilitating habit to cope in school before his life unravelled

A court was told Abdulmanan Ahmadza, 24, built up debts worth hundreds of pounds and that this was a driving force behind his actions

10:59, 13 May 2026Updated 14:48, 13 May 2026

A man started using drugs as a teenager to cope with unhappiness at school before his habit led him on a path of crime, a court has heard. Abdulmanan Ahmadza, 24, later became involved in “street dealing” to known drug users and was caught in possession of heroin and crack cocaine.

At a Cardiff Magistrates’ Court hearing on Tuesday it was said that on the evening of February 16, officers parked on Ferry Road in the Grangetown area of Cardiff spotted a silver Toyata Yaris.

Ahmadza who was the passenger in the vehicle, was seen inhaling laughing gas from a green balloon. Officers approached the car and noticed the defendant trying to conceal a mobile phone. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

Requests for the pair to allow access to the vehicle were initially resisted but Ahmadza eventually opened the passenger door. Jeff Jones, for the defendant, told the court that the delay in him opening the car door occurred because he was “frightened”.

On his person they found a Nokia, described by prosecutor Hannah Head as a burner phone. The search also uncovered £435 in cash, a small number of snap bags, along with a small number of rocks of heroin and crack cocaine.

Officers then searched his home address and scales were found, as well as two further wraps of heroin.

The court heard the total street value of the drugs found is estimated to be between £570 and £670.

When interviewed under caution by police, the defendant answered no comment to all questions save to say that he did not use crack cocaine or heroin.

Ms Head said the defendant was involved in “street dealing” and benefited financially from his actions.

Ahmadza, of Stockland Street, Cardiff, later pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply a class A drug, namely heroin, and one count of possession with intent to supply a class A drug, namely crack cocaine.

The court heard he has no previous convictions and is of previous good character.

In mitigation, Mr Jones said his client was a young man who is still maturing and is due to turn 25 next week. He said Ahmadza, who appeared via video link from HMP Cardiff, had taken his first time in court and in custody as a “wake up call”.

“He has learnt his lesson,” he added.

He also told the court the defendant holds “genuine shame is his heart for what he has done” and the impact it’s had on his family, some of whom were in court.

Mr Jones said the court was not dealing with a situation involving large amounts of money or drugs, nor supply that had been going on for a “long time”. He said a debt of £900 was a “driving force” behind Ahmadza’s behaviour.

The court heard that the defendant began to use cocaine as a late teenager. The drug use stemmed from a long period of unhappiness in school, Mr Jones said.

Since being in custody, Ahmadza has been drug free.

Mr Jones said that the defendant is determined to make positive changes to his life and has placed more focus on his faith and personal growth while in prison.

The court also heard Ahmadza has the support of family and loved ones who will help him rebuild his life, including through work prospects at the family’s car cleaning business in Cowbridge, where the defendant worked prior to his arrest.

Sentencing, Recorder Christian Jowett described the defendant’s offending as an “isolated incident”. He said there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in the community and risk to the public posed by Ahmazda is low.

He said he was willing to suspend a prison sentence, but only “just”.

Ahmazda was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work and 12 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

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