A ‘frustrated’ Laura Wood refused to continue with the interview any further
Laura Wood, of Stephenson Road in Newton-le-Willows, aged 34(Image: Merseyside Police)
A woman “became hostile” when detectives pointed out the hole in her story then refused to speak to them any further. Laura Wood operated a phone which was used to “advertise and facilitate the supply” of heroin and cocaine in the Newton-le-Willows area.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Tuesday, that this led to police executing a search warrant at her home on Stephenson Road in the village on September 8 this year. The 34-year-old was arrested inside the address, where police discovered a Motorola mobile which housed the relevant SIM card.
Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, described how a set of digital scales, a number of plastic sandwich bags and adulterant substances, as well as small quantities of cocaine and cannabis, were also recovered from the property. Under interview, she initially claimed she had been given the handset “at someone’s flat” 10 days previously, but refused to name the person in question.
Wood went on to state that she had then used this with a SIM card which she found in her kitchen drawer and had not been used before. But when detectives pointed out that the Probation Service had previously contacted her on this same number, she “became hostile and frustrated”.
After her legal representative called for a break in questioning, Wood refused to return to the interview room following a consultation. Wood has a total of nine previous convictions for 23 offences, including receiving a suspended prison sentence for production of cannabis in 2015.
Simran Garcha, defending, told the court her client’s offending had been committed “largely to meet her own habit”, adding: “She informs me that she regrets her decisions deeply. It is clear that Ms Woods’ life has been plagued by drugs for as long as she can remember.
“She was brought up by her brothers. She began misusing drugs from the age of 11. She stood no real chance at that age. She describes needing drugs to feel normal and feeling trapped by her dependency.
“She has used her short time in custody extremely usefully so far. She has reflected and re-evaluated what she wants to achieve from her life. She is motivated to create a new path for herself and to desist from drugs entirely.
“She is engaging with alcohol and drug services. Of her own volition, she has asked to be considered for the drug free living unit at HMP Styal. It demonstrates her initiative and determination to get out of her entrenched ways.
“She is somebody who has experienced trauma through her life. In my submission, she is vulnerable individual. A number of her previous relationships have been characterised by violence.”
Wood admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possession of cocaine and cannabis. Appearing via video link to HMP Styal wearing a black hoodie over a white vest, she nodded as she was jailed for 31 months.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “Messages which were recovered revealed the extent of the offers to supply those drugs. The police executed a warrant at the address at which you were, and you were arrested with the device. You gave an account in interview which, to your credit, you no longer rely upon.
“This is clearly street dealing to those addicted to those substances. Importantly, I am satisfied that the benefit to you from your involvement in this was to supply your own addiction to class A drugs, and I am satisfied that you had little or no influence on any others higher up in the chain of supply.
“Your offending is made more serious by the fact that this was conducted over a period of time, and you have a previous conviction in 2015 for the production of drugs, albeit in class B. I have had regard to the trauma which you have undoubtedly suffered, which continues to affect your mental health to this day. I am mindful of the physical difficulties from which you presently suffer. You have used the time you already spent in custody productively.
“You must understand that those who involve themselves, at whatever level, in the supply of class A drugs commit very serious offences. You know only too well the damage that is done by addiction to class A drugs.
“You know the ruthlessness with which this trade is enforced, with violence and intimidation. Those who involve themselves in this trade will receive sentences of imprisonment.”