A “vulnerable” mum and her daughter have been spared jail for their part in drug offences after police say they were threatened into holding onto drugs for someone else. Abigail and Joanne Blackwell, 28 and 52 respectively, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Minshull Street on Thursday morning, August 25, to face charges for drug offences dating back as far as December 2018.
Antony Longworth, prosecuting, told the court that the offences had first come to light when police visited Joanne’s home in Rochdale on Christmas Eve, 2018, when they found a small amount of cocaine, three bags of cannabis, and a small but “sophisticated” grow operation for cannabis in the upstairs bedroom.
Both Joanne and Abigail were charged with the production of cannabis in relation to the ten plants being grown in the upstairs of the home, which were all for Joanne’s personal use, with Joanne also charged with possession of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cocaine. The pair pleaded guilty to all the charges.
