'Real-life' Breaking Bad teacher jailed

In a case echoing the cult TV series Breaking Bad, a Welsh teacher has been found with a drug lab in his home.

The drama told the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a high-school chemistry teacher who produced and sold meth.

The real-life case has a few key differences: Macphallen Kuwale was an IT teacher at a Wales high school and his drug of trade was cocaine, reports the Telegraph.

In 2012, police found a cocaine laboratory in Kuwale's home worth around $1.6 million that formed the basis of a "sophisticated wholesale operation".

"It was totally unusual. It is not something that you come across every day," said Detective Timothy Jones of the South Wales Police's drug squad.

The police raid on Kuwale's home also turned up more than $14,000 worth of the prohibited drug, which he initially claimed he was holding for a friend.

Other drug paraphernalia was found at his home, including a mobile phone Kuwale used to arrange "coded" drug deals under the alias "Mac" — slightly less cool-sounding than Walter White's alias, "Heisenberg".

Kuwale has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

He claimed he had been depressed at the time of his arrest and unfairly treated by his school, Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen, a suggestion that was denied by headmaster Andrew Warren's testimony.

Kuwale, who holds a computing degree, was permanently banned from teaching at a disciplinary hearing.

"Kuwale presents a significant and ongoing risk to the standards of the profession," said Steve Powell, panel chairman of the General Teaching Council for Wales.

"The wellbeing of pupils must be protected and the reputation of the profession maintained."