A coke-dealing granny was found to have £8,500 of a Class A drug concealed in her semi-detached home following a police raid.
Julie Cobley, 62, lived a desirable middle-class lifestyle in the village of Deanshanger in Northamptonshire, financed by the little wraps of white powder she would distribute from the doorstep of her £400,000 home.
It then emerged that Ms Cobley had been leaving packages of drugs by her bins and in small bags taped just outside her letter box for her clients to collect, dropping off notes of cash in exchange.
A court heard how neighbours in the peaceful, leafy street initially took Ms Cobley at face value but, eventually, at least one grew suspicious at the steady stream of visitors who would turn up at any time of night and approach her house, but never rang the bell or went in.
An anonymous tip-off to police led to a raid that recovered 16 individual wraps of cocaine in a safe along with more of the drug in three clear plastic bags and a green plastic container.
A mobile phone and a bundle of cash were also seized from the property following the swoop on July 27, 2022.
Ms Cobley was charged with possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.
She was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, which was suspended for 12 months, fined £187 and ordered to pay £230 in court costs at Northampton Crown Court.
Northampton Police hailed the community for supplying them with important details.
Neighbouring Policing Sergeant Josh Ellard, who conducted the investigation, said that the warrant was executed as a direct result of community intelligence and information from members of the public who were worried about drug-related issues in their area.
He said that tackling and preventing drug harm was a matter of priority for the Force and that they will continue to act on the concerns of their communities to disrupt drug dealers, who prey on the most vulnerable people in society and bring misery to others.
He added that this was a prime example of how they can work together with their partners and residents to take positive action against issues affecting them and he would urge anyone who has concerns about drug dealing within their local communities to keep reporting suspicious activity to them.
When a newspaper outlet tracked her down, Ms Cobley was carrying a pricey designer bag and sporting knee-length boots and a faux fur trimmed coat, getting into her stylish estate car with personalised plates.
To be honest, nobody can live on a state pension, so drug-dealing Grannies probably aren’t that uncommon, and I’m guessing she’s not much of a role model for her children and grandchildren if she has any, but let’s face it, she’s hardly a kingpin is she?
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