A JUDGE warned that Class A drugs “wreck individual lives” as a woman was sentenced after police uncovered dozens of wraps of cocaine at her home.
Liverpool Crown Court heard officers executed a warrant at Claire Garvey’s address in St Helens last October.
Officers found 57 plastic bags containing just over an ounce of the drug, with an estimated street value of up to £2,091.
However, the 40-year-old, who had pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a Class A drug was spared prison during last Friday's hearing as a judge acknowledged her personal vulnerabilities and genuine remorse.
The defendant, who had no previous convictions, made admissions “from the outset” to the police, the court was told.
The court heard Garvey had an “operational function within a chain clearly involved in the bagging up of drugs”, and delivery, selling directly to users.
Defending Garvey, Julian Nutter said that his client had “made admissions from the outset when the police came, and she was frankly low -level street dealing.
“She has now found better employment, she suffer from severe anxiety.
“There is an element of lesser role, supplying a drug to which she was addicted.”
Mr Nutter added she “deeply regrets” what she did and said it would be appropriate to lower her sentence “to reflect her good character”.
He added that prison would “destroy her life”.
Passing sentence, judge Ian Harris said to Garvey: “I don’t know what got into you.
“Supplying Class A drugs is very serious, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
“Class A drugs are responsible for vast amounts of acquisitive crime and violent crime, even lethal and fatal violence.
“Class A drugs are corrosive as far as our communities are concerned and they wreck individual lives.
“You got yourself into this awful trade without any threats or coercion.”
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The judge said in mitigation, Garvey has expressed remorse.
He noted her mental health issues and that she had completed awareness courses.
He acknowledged Garvey’s family and friends had spoken of her qualities and positive features.
Judge Harris said: “Probation assess you as a low risk of further offending, I agree with that conclusion. You have co-operated with probation and taken steps to better yourself.”
The judge added: “You were fortunate to be arrested when you were, before matters developed to a stage where immediate prison would have been inevitable.
“There are factors that reduce seriousness, you have no previous convictions, you have demonstrated remorse” and he added “you have personal vulnerabilities”.
The judge said the defendant’s admissions enabled him to reduce the sentence by one third.
Garvey, of Forrester Avenue, Nutgrove, was sentenced to two years and two months in prison, suspended for two years.
The judge also imposed a community order, and Garvey must do 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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