Granny of five sold drugs to ‘help son’
GRANDMA Collette Price started dealing cocaine in a desperate bid to pay off her son’s drug debt.
The 49-year-old gran-of-five was searched by police when they raided her Leek home.
Officers found 17 wraps of cocaine inside her vest weighing 7.75 grams, and six smaller packages weighing a total of 1.17 grams.
Her phone was seized and analysis revealed texts which linked her to the supply of drugs, including one to a debtor where Price had written ‘You’re lucky I didn’t hit you.’
Two sets of digital scales, a dealer’s tick list and £925 cash were also recovered.
Now Price, also known as Collette Ferns, has been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, at Stokeon-trent Crown Court.
Prosecutor Peter Mccartney said police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house in Prince Charles Avenue, Leek, at about 4pm on December 8.
Mr Mccartney said: “While they were there the defendant arrived in a car with her husband. She was detained outside in order for a drugs search to be conducted.
“Inside her vest top she had a money bag which contained 17 wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 7.75 grams, with an 88 per cent purity. There were six smaller wraps weighting a total of 1.17 grams with an 85 per cent purity. A drugs expert valued the cocaine at about £800.”
Price, of Prince Charles Avenue, Leek, pleaded guilty to supplying a class A drug, possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property.
Jason Holt, mitigating, said the defendant was being threatened as her son, Gareth Ferns, had racked up a drugs debt.
He said: “The threats she faced were real. Windows of vehicles on the drive were put through. She felt she had no way forward.
“Her husband’s benefits had been stopped. She had no other means in which she could try and offer to discharge the debt.”
As part of the suspended sentence, Price must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 25 days.