A drug dealing mum went back to selling Class A's just months after getting a suspended prison sentence for the same behaviour.
Liverpool Crown Court heard Tracey Smith, 51, of Molyneux Avenue, Warrington, and her family were being threatened by her supplier after her previous arrest resulted in drugs being seized. The mum went back to supplying heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Warrington because of the threats and on June 23 this year she was re-arrested.
Smith was jailed for three years on Friday, July 29, after admitting possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and breaching her suspended sentence.
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Judge Anil Murray told Smith, who also has another drugs conviction, he accepted she was threatened into dealing to pay off the debt caused when she lost the previous drugs she had been told to supply. The judge said: "You could have gone to the police for help but you carried on."
The judge added she became addicted to crack cocaine and clearly had problems and took the risk.
He continued: "I accept you were in a difficult position. I have sympathy for your situation and your children but as you know I have no choice but to activate the suspended sentence and pass another sentence for the current offences."
Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court plain clothes officers saw her leaving an address in Warrington. She rode off on a bike and when asked to stop, she dropped the bike and ran off but was chased and caught.
She was found to have 12 wraps of heroin and 18 of crack cocaine in her handbag, with a total value of £300. Mr Hopkins said she was given an 18 month suspended jail term in January this year for similar behaviour.
Sarah Griffin, defending, said Smith had carried out some of the requirements of the suspended sentence order before committing the new offences. She has mental health problems and had tried to kill herself 18 months ago.
She has being making good progress on remand in Styal, added Miss Griffin.
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