THE girlfriend of a gangster who masterminded the kidnap and murder of a housing manager has been spared jail despite admitting helping her boyfriend to cover his tracks.

Paul Brady was lured to a homes complex near Bacup, where he was battered by up to 15 masked armed attackers and bundled into a van. His body has never been found.

Last month Paul Devalda, 35, was jailed for a minimum of 21 years after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, and the murder of Mr Brady.

Stacia Crossley, 28, of Padiham Road, Burnley, admitted assisting an offender after the jury failed to reach a verdict in her case.

Yesterday, she appeared at Manchester Crown Court and was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years.

During a seven-week trial, the jury heard Mr Brady had been involved in a £350,000 cocaine deal and had the drugs at his Rochdale home.

The prosecution claimed Devalda, a drug dealer, targeted Mr Brady after learning of the large cocaine haul. Mr Brady was lured to the exclusive Lynns Court complex in Weir, where he was site manager, on August 1, 2009, to repair a house.

The jury was told after the ambush Crossley obtained a passport application for Devalda as he sought to flee the country.

But she and Devalda were caught out when they were recorded talking about the offence in a Rochdale hotel room.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter said: “This has been a massive team effort and I’d like to thank everyone who worked on this enquiry as well as the Crown Prosecution Service and counsel for their hard work in bringing this case to court and presenting it well.”

Heath Bowling, 38, of Stockport, was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course and was also given a 12 month sentence suspended for two years.