Tata Steel worker returned to life of crime after losing job

A Tata Steel worker turned to dealing cocaine and amphetamine after losing his job, a court has heard. Marcus Howell had secured work at the Port Talbot plant after being released from prison on licence following a lengthy sentence for robbery but returned to crime after being made redundant. Swansea Crown Court heard police found Howell's nephew Levi Andrews had also been dealing cocaine and while the pair had their own supply operations there was some overlap in what they were doing. Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court that on March 13 this year police officers, acting on information received, executed a search warrant at a flat in Moorland Road in Port Talbot .

Howell was detained and his phone was seized, and the device was noted to be "constantly ringing". A visual examination of the phone showed "extensive messaging" indicating the user's involvement in the supply of drugs. The 35-year-old defendant was searched and £1,525 in cash was found in his pocket. The prosecutor said officers then searched the property and in a freezer in a utility room they found a bag wrapped in packing tape which was found to contain amphetamine with a wet weight of 723g and a dry weight of 572g.

He said officers believed the package was the remains of a 1kg block. The court heard that in the main bedroom in the flat officers found five more phones – including a burner phone – as well as two flick knives, a large sheath knife, and a small quantity of cocaine. Howell was interviewed the day after his arrest and answered "no comment" to all questions asked.

The court heard that in the days following Howell's arrest and as part of an ongoing investigation into drug supply in Port Talbot officers examined the phones of known users and found messages from a number linked to the defendant Andrews who is the nephew of Howell. The messages appeared to be "bulk" messages advertising the availability of drugs in various size deals and one user had Andrews' number stored as "Mark boy Levi". The prosecutor said Andrews' father's name is Mark.

As a result of the messages seen by officers they went to 21-year-old Andrews' address in Port Talbot. The defendant was not present but his mother, Donna Parsons, was at home and police spoke to her and examined her phone.

The court heard messages on his mother's phone showed Andrews was on occasions sourcing drugs for her at her request. Officers then went to the home address of Andrews' girlfriend and spoke to her. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter . The prosecutor said the day after the police visits Andrews went to the police station and was arrested.

The defendant went without his phone and police have not been able to recover it. In his interview Andrews answered "no comment" to all questions asked. The barrister said it was the prosecution case that Howell and Andrews were each running their own supply operations in the Port Talbot area but that it was clear from some of the messages found on Howell's phones there was some overlap between what the relatives were doing.

The court also heard that in messages recovered from Facebook Howell had agreed to lend money to a contact to allow him to buy a stock of drugs and begin dealing. The contact replied to Howell: "This will get the [drugs] line ready then. I'm flat out for you boy. You known I am loyal to you." Marcus Howell, of Moorland Road, Sandfields, Aberavon, had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of ketamine with intent to supply, possession of criminal property – cash – and the simple possession of cocaine when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has previous convictions for 34 offences including dishonesty matters, public disorder, and possession of weapons. In 2011 Howell was sentenced to 40 months in prison for robbery and possession of a knife. In 2018 he was sentenced to 78 months in prison for robbery and possession of a knife. Levi Andrews, of Henshaw Street, Aberavon, had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine when he appeared in the dock alongside his uncle.

He has no previous convictions. Jon Tarrant, for Howell, said the defendant was released from his last robbery sentence in January 2022 and came out of custody with the best of intentions. He said his client secured work at the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, completed his licence period successfully, and stayed out of trouble but said when he lost his employment in the wave of redundancies which affected the plant in 2025 "a chain of events" was set off which led to the offending the court had heard about. David Singh, for Andrews, said the pre-sentence report on his client detailed his descent into the use of alcohol and controlled substances and then into dealing the drug to which he was himself addicted.

He said the report also detailed the defendant's immaturity and how he was "easily influenced by others". Recorder Greg Bull KC said it was clear both defendants had been dealing Class A drugs and had been "in it for the money". He noted Howell had started dealing drugs not long after the end of his licence period and he said there was evidence which led him to believe that Andrews was being influence by his uncle – though he noted Andrews knew enough to supply his own mother with cocaine. With one-quarter discounts for their guilty pleas Howell was sentenced to 45 months in prison and Andrews to 30 months.

The defendants will serve up to half their sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.