£250,000 Oswestry drugs sale addicts jailed

Hayley Sudlow and Adam Talbot, both drug addicts, were said to have been working "under duress" for Merseyside-based drug dealers.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court the prosecution said it believed the two defendants had been selling about £1,500 worth of drugs almost every day for a period of six months.

Sudlow was jailed for a total of three years and eight months and Talbot was given a three-year sentence.

Sudlow, 32, and Talbot, 25, had both pleaded guilty to being in possession of quantities of cocaine and heroin on August 2 with intent to supply.

Judge Robin Onions said the couple had both played a significant role as "street dealers" for financial gain but accepted they had been acting out of fear.

He said Sudlow, a mother-of-two, had a "dreadful record". This was her 20th court appearance for offences involving drugs, burglary, theft and assault. Part of her sentence included a prison term for breach of community orders imposed earlier this year for theft and obstructing police.

Mr Alex Warren, prosecuting, said police had searched Sudlow's home in Queen Elizabeth Close, Oswestry, on August 2 during an unrelated inquiry. He said officers found more than 150 wraps of heroin and cocaine.

Later officers searched Talbot's address in Chapel Street, Oswestry, where more drugs were found.

After her arrest Sudlow told police they had been selling drugs for Merseyside dealers and sold £1,500 worth daily, of which they kept £250 – most of which was spent on drugs to feed their own habits.

The court heard Sudlow had a crack cocaine habit and that Talbot had taken the dealers to her home. Talbot was said to be an intelligent young man who now wanted to make positive changes and had been drug-free since his arrest.