A mum and dad on a "drugs run" from Liverpool were found with £60k of heroin hidden in a secret compartment.
Craig Nicholls, 22, and Lauren Woodward, 21, from Cardiff, who have a two-year-old daughter together, were travelling home to Wales on July 27 after spending the night in Liverpool when they were pulled over by police.
Nicholls was travelling as a passenger in the Renault Twingo car and Woodward was the driver when they were stopped near the Coldra Roundabout in Newport. They appeared before Newport Crown Court on Tuesday, September 25, for sentencing, Wales Online reports.
The court heard police pulled up the carpet in the passenger footwell of the car and used a crowbar to open up a secret compartment. The compartment was found to contain two carrier bags.
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The first carrier bag was found to contain two blocks of heroin and the second bag contained four blocks of heroin. Each block was found to be a half kilogram deal of heroin, with each block worth between £7,500 and £10,000.
The total amount of drugs had a street value between £31,500 and £60,000. The vehicle they were travelling in was found to belong to someone else, as Woodward had asked to borrow the specially adapted car for the journey and had insured herself on it.
Both of the defendants were arrested, with Woodward providing a prepared statement in which she denied offending. Both went on to provide "no comment" interviews.
Nicholls, of Marcross Road, Ely, and Woodward, of Grand Avenue, Ely, both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a class A drug. The court heard Nicholls has seven previous convictions, including common assault, possession of an offensive weapon, and driving offences. Woodward was of previous good character.
In mitigation, Christopher Evans said there was no evidence his client was to have a significant benefit for the one journey he carried out. He said the defendant had recently left his job as a roofer and his mother has significant health issues, which caused his "head to be all over the place" and he agreed to carry out this journey on behalf of others.
Nicholls has a daughter with Woodward, and wishes to focus on his responsibilities Rebecca Griffiths, for Woodward, said her client's "limited knowledge" of the trip to Liverpool being a "drugs run" does not place her in a significant role and said she had no expectation of a financial advantage.
The barrister said the defendant had to say "goodbye" to her young daughter in case she was sent to prison, and asked the court to consider the effect upon her child if this were to happen.
Addressing Nicholls, Recorder Victoria Hillier said: "You were given the bags, you must have had some awareness and understanding of the scale of the operation."
Nicholls was sentenced to a total of four years imprisonment, while the sentencing of Woodward was adjourned until Wednesday.
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