A woman was found with more than £1,000 of crack cocaine and heroin hidden inside her body when police raided a drugs den.
Georgina Grant had the stash of illicit Class A substances secreted upon her when police came knocking on the door of co-conspirator Mark Morley, who was caught red-handed dealing in a white van. Another man, Benjamin Williams, attempted to flee the clutches of officers but was then arrested in a shop in possession of a large stash of cash.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that police observed Morley enter a white van on Eric Street in Widnes and make a "hand to hand exchange" with the driver on July 26 last year. Ian Whitehurst, prosecuting, described how the 57-year-old then made a similar transaction with a man on a bike immediately after getting out of vehicle.
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The following day, officers raided his home on Allerton Road in the town. Morley and 23-year-old Williams, of no fixed address but from Liverpool, were in the living room of the address while Grant, aged 59 and of Frederick Street, was in a downstairs bathroom at the rear of property.
Williams "made good his escape" but was arrested shortly afterwards in a nearby shop carrying £1,400 cash. Morley was in possession two mobile phones, one being a "graft" phone, while Grant had secreted 100 wraps of crack cocaine – worth approximately £1,000 – inside her body alongside 60 deals of heroin with a street value of around £600.
A small quantity of cannabis was also recovered by Cheshire Police. Grant has a total of seven previous convictions for nine offences – including conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in 2009, possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply in 2012 and 2017 and importation of Class B drugs in 2017
Carmel Wilde, defending, told the court that the mum-of-three had turned to drugs in her late 40s after suffering a series of bereavements – including that of three of her siblings, her parents and her partner. Her counsel said: "She feels disgusted with herself.
"She does wish to convey that she is sorry that she is in the same position again. Clearly she lived a law-abiding life for a number of years.
"Seemingly, when released in 2019 she was drug-free and only in the months leading up to the offence gravitated back to her peers. She is not the brains of the operation, she is desperate to fund her own long-standing addiction of 10 years."
Williams meanwhile has seven previous convictions for 11 offences, including for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply in 2018 and 2019 and possession of class B drugs with intent to supply in 2019 Peter White, appearing on his behalf, said: "He accepts he reverted back to type, unfortunately, and agreed to act as a courier in order to obtain a wage.
"It would appear there is a different side to him. He has squandered his 20s.
"He knows he faces potentially his longest sentence ever faced. He has lived quite a chaotic lifestyle.
"He is determined to put his offending behind him. Hopefully this sentence isn't the final nail in the coffin and gives him some hope."
Mark Morley's criminal record includes 19 convictions for 28 offences, although none for drug trafficking. David Rose said in mitigation for him: "This is not a sophisticated, long drawn out conspiracy, this is three people in involved in drug supply."
Grant admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine while Williams, who appeared via video link to HMP Buckley Hall, pleaded guilty to these charges and possession of criminal property. Morley, appearing from HMP Altcourse, admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and possession of cannabis.
All three defendants were due to be sentenced on Monday, January 23. But the hearing was adjourned by Judge Gary Woodhall, and will now take place on Friday this week.
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