Bournemouth woman was dealing MDMA to fund drug habit

Gemma Marie McPherson, 35, of Richmond Park Road, Bournemouth, was dealing MDMA to fund her own drug habit.

She pleaded guilty to possessing MDMA with intent to supply, possessing cannabis and possessing cocaine.

She appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Tuesday, February 22, where Judge Robert Pawson sentenced her to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

Prosecuting, Simon Jones told the court on April 1, McPherson had her vehicle and home searched by officers.

Police found deal bags and 105 MDMA tablets, including 1.09g of 79 per cent purity. She was also found with 0.47g of cocaine and 11.1g of cannabis.

The court heard McPherson was dealing to her friends for “little profit” and to fund her own habit.

She had a number of previous convictions, including possession of cannabis and amphetamine in August 2018.

Mitigating, Nick Robinson said the defendant would welcome unpaid work as an opportunity to “get her confidence back”.

He said she had been unemployed for more than two years as a result of the pandemic and had not seen her two children for a number of years.

Judge Pawson told McPherson she was “playing a dangerous game with other people’s safety and your own liberty”.

He said: “MDMA is a dangerous drug, whether you believe or accept that or not, it is a matter of fact it kills people.

“You were supplying other people with drugs to fund your own habit.

“Dealing dangerous drugs, albeit to a group of people you knew, for very little profit, you are playing a dangerous game with other people’s safety and your own liberty.”

Judge Pawson said the defendant presented as a “high risk” of reoffending as she admitted to occasionally using cannabis. He said it suggested a “lack of insight”.

McPherson was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

A forfeiture and destruction order was placed on the drugs and the paraphernalia.