A WOMAN who had £20,000 worth of amphetamine stashed in her freezer has avoided being sent to prison.

Burnley Crown Court heard how police carried out a drugs raid at a house Susan McDevitt’s home in Burnley on February 26.

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Once inside they found two kilograms of white powder which forensic investigations proved to be the amphetamine with a purity of 27 per cent. The court heard it had a street value of £19,870.

McDevitt, 47, of Hudson Street, was not present when officers first entered but arrived during the raid and was arrested.

Prosecuting, Mercedeh Jabbari said police seized McDevitt’s mobile phone but failed to find anything on it relating to drug dealing. She answered ‘no comment’ to all questions during police interviews, the court heard.

Ms Jabbari said: “The defendant is vulnerable with mental health problems, having suffered a breakdown three years ago.

“She said the owner of the drugs, who the defendant believes is 35 years old and lives in Burnley, brought a package to her home. He is known to the defendant. He demanded that he leave a package in her house. She didn’t ask what it was but suspected it was drugs.

“She was told he would return the following day to collect the drugs. She was offered no money. Although she wasn’t threatened she did say she did feel intimidated.”

The court was told that before the man who left the drugs could return the police had raided the house. McDevitt was in possession of the drugs for one day. Defending, Richard Taylor said: “A very vulnerable woman was clearly targeted by someone who needed to put his drugs somewhere. She felt intimidated.

“She was never going to get any gains from those drugs.”

McDevitt was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and told to complete a 30-day rehabilitation requirement. An order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.

Judge Michael Leeming QC said: “I accept your remorse is genuine. You have had a difficult life.

“The view I take of this offence is that it is so serious that neither a fine or a community order can be justified. But I have the power to suspend your prison sentence.”