Woman hid drugs in her freezer (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Woman hid drugs in her freezer

4:47pm Friday 30th March 2007 in Chippenham By Gazette Reporter

Drug dealer Victoria Haywood, who was found with thousands of pounds worth of amphetamines in her deep freeze, claimed to police she had forgotten they were there.

Haywood, of Greenway Lane, Chippenham, also had a list with names and numbers next to it when police raided her house shortly before Christmas.

But the 21-year-old insisted that was just names of people who had loaned her money to support her heroin addiction.

And as she was being taken to the police station she told officers I don't use amphetamines, I only use heroin. I have been dependant for a few months'.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court how police executed a warrant at Haywood's home under the Misuse of Drugs Act on Wednesday December 6 last year.

"In the bottom drawer of the freezer compartment they found a blue plastic bag containing a clear plastic box," she said.

Inside the box they found a number of sealed plastic bags containing white powder which she told police was amphetamines.

Haywood told the officers I forgot it was there' but when she was later being questioned she said that she was looking after it for someone.

She went on to say she had no money and was income support and living in a housing association home.

The man who gave her the drugs to look after had given her £300 and promised some more when he collected them.

Miss Marlow said the drugs weighed 817 grams with a street value of £6,536.

Haywood pleaded guilty to possessing a class B drug with intent to supply.

David Chidgey, defending, said his client was a young lady with no previous convictions who was very frightened about her plight.

He said that when she perhaps used the wrong words when she said she had forgotten about the drugs when she was arrested.

"Maybe 21-year-olf ladies of good character panic somewhat when subject to a drug search," he said.

After showing some promise at school he said Haywood left without any GCSEs following family problems.

He said that eventually led to her getting involved in heroin but she had not been addicted for long and was trying to get away from that lifestyle.

Passing sentence Judge Graham White said "This is an extremely serious offence as you understand.

"In normal circumstance, or should I say other circumstances, if it weren't for what I have heard about you and read about you I would be sending you to prison today."

Instead he imposed a one year jail term suspended for tow years and told her to do 150 hours of community service, a one year drug rehabilitation requirement, debt counselling and two years' supervision from probation.