Drugs 'patsy' caught with heroin and cocaine in bra in Shrewsbury is spared jail

Sarah Burrows, 35, previously of Woodlands Avenue, Hanwood, was caught last year after police saw her and her male dealer companion selling drugs in Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury Crown Court, sitting at Telford Justice Centre on Tuesday, heard that Burrows and the man had been operating out of a Premier Inn in Telford.

When officers searched the hotel room they found a dealer's 'tick list', which shows clients for buying drugs, and a hand-written note saying they "would absolutely smash Shrewsbury to bits" – said to be a reference to supplying drugs to the town.

Burrows admitted two charges of possession with intent to supply class A drugs – heroin and cocaine.

Philip Beardwell, prosecuting, said that two police officers had seen Burrows and her companion near the Dana Steps in Shrewsbury on February 2 last year.

The court heard that the officers had been told the pair had been dealing, and they then saw 'two well-known drug users' approach them.

After a conversation Burrows and her partner then walked off "towards The Ark" when officers followed and searched them.

Burrows was found in possession of two wraps of drugs, but the officers then took her to the nearby police suite at Shrewsbury Railway Station where she was fully searched.

Officers then found a 'tennis ball-sized blue bag' containing 100 wraps of drugs, in the left cup of her bra.

Mr Beardwell said Burrows became "upset" at that point, and then she said: "He's got nothing on him, I've got it all. I don't know why I agreed to carry it, I'm never going to see my kids again."

Examination of the wraps found they contained heroin and cocaine.

Mr Beardwell said that Burrows has 20 previous convictions relating to 49 offences.

Robert Edwards, mitigating, said Burrows had pleaded guilty to the offences and was in effect a 'patsy'.

He said: "Her role in this offending, and it is accepted by the Crown, is as 'a patsy', she is holding the drugs and someone else is dealing.

"She is in close proximity, she has to accept, but she's certainly not dealing on her own and she is not benefitting from it.

"The penny began to drop immediately on arrest when she made that comment to police as she did not know why she was doing what she was doing."

He added: "She has in effect been left holding the bag when she was not in fact going to benefit from holding the drugs."

Mr Edwards said Burrows had been exploited by others and urged Judge Recorder Jonathan Taylor to spare her jail.

Recorder Taylor said he was prepared to suspend her sentence, handing Burrows two years in prison, suspended for two years.

She must also complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, fulfil a drug rehabilitation order for nine months, and carry out 40 hours of unpaid work.