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A convicted drug dealer, already behind bars, has been sentenced for a further five months in jail for illegal dog breeding.

Jedd Wiegold, 32, of Keble Court, Graig y Rhacca, had been breeding and selling American Bully puppies for at least two years. Before selling them, Wiegold had their ears cut off for aesthetic purposes.

Between March 24, 2019 and March 23, 2020, Wiegold owned, bred and advertised at least three breeding bitches and litters.

The puppies were advertised for sale on social media for up to £6,500 and £10,000. However, the full extent of Wiegold’s earnings are not known.

Wiegold was sentenced at Newport Magistrate’s Court on January 11, where he was charged with five separate offences of unlicensed dog breeding and mutilation.

He was sentenced to five months in prison for each of the five offences, with the sentences running concurrently – meaning they will all be served at the same time.

Wiegold is already in prison for other offences.

In April 2021, he was jailed for eight-and-a-half-year for supplying cocaine. In December 2021, he was given a ten-and-a-half-year sentence for his involvement in a £1m cocaine conspiracy alongside eight other men.

He was also sentenced to two years behind bars for conspiracy to supply Class B drug amphetamine, as well as 12 months for possession of extreme pornography. These sentences will be served at the same time as his other sentences.

Meanwhile, Wiegold has also been banned from owning, keeping and transporting dogs for ten years and will not be able to apply to have this ban lifted for seven years.

The sentencing came after an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team after information was passed onto it by the police, following an investigation into other matters.

Evidence taken from Wiegold’s mobile phone proved his involvement in the puppy ear cropping, with the procedure itself carried out by an unknown third party, the council said.

Ear cropping involves the removal of all or part of a dog’s ear flaps in order to change its appearance – often to make it look more fierce. Ear cropping is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Councillor Nigel George, the council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection said: “Demand for fashionable breeds of puppies is always high, so it can be a very lucrative business.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the sentencing and we hope that it will serve as a warning to other criminals who are looking to take advantage of animals for financial profit.

“If anyone has any information on potential unlicensed breeders please contact our Trading Standards or Licensing teams.”