Nelson dinner lady’s drugs shame (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Nelson dinner lady’s drugs shame
11:30am Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in Nelson
By Kate Jackson, Reporter
REGRET Stephanie Fawcett, of Nelson, said she was disappointed with herself after her conviction
A SCHOOL dinner lady has been suspended from her job after she admitted growing around £8,000 worth of cannabis.
Stephanie Fawcett, of Charles Street, Nelson, works at Pendle Vale College in Oxford Road, Nelson.
She grew 20 plants in an upstairs bedroom at her house, police said.
The 34-year-old was given 20 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, with six months supervision when she appeared at Burnley Crown Court.
She was committed for sentence by Reedley magistrates in April.
Fawcett has been suspended from her role at the school from today by Lancashire County Council pending disciplinary procedures.
A county council spokesman said the school management were unaware of the conviction until yesterday.
Roger Eakhurst, assistant director at Lancashire County Commercial Group, which employs school kitchen staff, said: "I can confirm that a catering service employee was suspended as soon as this issue came to light.
"However, I am unable to comment further as the matter will now be dealt with under the appropriate disciplinary procedures."
Fawcett said: “I am very disappointed with myself. I know that I shouldn’t have done what I did.
“I am relieved that I’ve not been sent to jail. I’ve been through enough with the court case.”
A police spokesman said: "The offences took place between December 2011 and April 2012 and the cannabis was found in an upstairs bedroom at her home address."
