A promising young engineer has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after her cannabis and cocaine operation was exposed.
Danielle Stafford splashed out on designer bags, watches and plush holidays with funds from her drugs empire. Hull Crown Court heard the 29-year old, of Hallagate, Cottingham, made so much money by selling drugs that she bought a second house and lived without touching any of her job salary, reports Hull Live.
Stafford tried to pretend she was the victim of a shadowy Liverpool drug dealer and her expensive designer goods were fake. She also claimed luxury holidays had been gifts given to her by family members.
She originally denied nine offences and a trial had started, but then admitted three offences of being concerned in supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis and another of possessing cash as criminal property, on dates spanning October 2017 and May 2020.
She was only caught by pure chance when police spotted her speeding in a silver Audi. After she was arrested, a phone constantly rang with 30 calls or pinged with up to 20 drug messages.
Police later found £26,917 cash stashed at her home and drugs with a street value of £33,600. Detectives also found nine watches and three Louis Vuitton handbags at the property.
Judge Mark Bury told Stafford: "You are well educated. You are a promising engineer. Your life went out of control some time in 2017 when you started dealing cannabis."
"You were a street dealer in cocaine," he added.
"You had a significant amount of designer and expensive items and jewellery. I am not prepared to accept that it was fake. It shows that you were able to earn very good money from this operation."
The judge continued on Stafford's car: "It wasn't exactly a banger that you were using. There was an expectation of significant financial reward, as demonstrated by the items at your home.
"You have some talent and it's a great shame that you didn't deploy that talent in a more law-abiding way because I am sure you have something to offer.
"You didn't plead guilty until the very last minute. The evidence was strong, if not overwhelming. The jury was sworn and only during the opening did you change your pleas.
"Drug dealing on this scale, with this degree of financial reward that you have reaped, simply cannot be overlooked. You have got more to offer than this and you have got to show that, when you have served this sentence."
Stafford looked impassive as she was led out of the dock to be taken down to the cells but she mouthed a few words to three supporters in the public gallery.
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