Woman told police £2,000 in drug cash was inheritance from grandparent

Callie Smith, now 31, was a passenger in a car pulled over in a Shrewsbury street by officers three years ago.

Miss Amrisha Parathalingam, prosecuting, told a sentencing hearing the defendant was in a vehicle being driven by a man called Anthony Cavanagh.

“On an afternoon in February 2018 police officers saw a black Volvo, in Albert Road, in Shrewsbury, which was being driven as though it was avoiding them. Mr Cavanagh was the driver and Callie Smith was the passenger," she said.

“She had cash in her possession and various mobile phones.

"Her mother was phoned and said she was not aware of any inheritance money nor had she given the defendant any money.

"When she was interviewed she said that the cash had been her inheritance from a grandparent.”

'Exceptional circumstances'

A total of £1,985.78 was seized from her along with her handset. Smith previously pleaded guilty to an offence of possession of criminal property at a hearing in Telford in 2018.

Miss Parathalingam told Shrewsbury Crown Court the defendant had no previous convictions, but had been cautioned in 2015 and 2017 for possession of drugs.

Mr John Rowan, mitigating for Smith, said Smith was a new mother and that her baby was ill and had regular hospital appointments meaning she was unsuitable for a curfew and she was unable to work.

For possessing the cash Smith, of Liverpool, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to attended 20 rehabilitation activity days with probation.

No curfew was applied due to the “exceptional circumstances” of the hospital appointments and the three-year wait for the case to be concluded.

Judge Anthony Lowe ordered the forfeiture of the seized cash under the Misuse of Drugs Act and the forfeiture and destruction of the phone.

She must pay the victims’ surcharge. There was no order for costs. He ordered that two further counts relating to drug supply to lie on file.