A YOUNG woman found with drugs concealed inside her body had been “groomed and recruited” to become a dealer.
Georgia Bowers was found to be in possession of 83 wraps of cocaine and 77 wraps of heroin following searches of her body, car and hotel room.
Police also found sums of cash, a knife, scales, clingfilm and a cannabis grinder.
The 22-year-old had started drug dealing with an "attraction to money", but soon began to be “coerced” and “controlled” by 'other people'.
Bowers appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Tuesday, January 23, charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug in the Bournemouth area.
Prosecuting, Ellie Fargin said police had attempted to pull over a vehicle on April 22, 2021, in which Bowers was the front passenger.
While the vehicle did “make off” at first, and led a “short pursuit”, it eventually came to a stop.
An officer went to Bowers in the front passenger seat, where they saw empty plastic wraps, a cannabis grinder and half a cannabis joint.
Bowers was taken into custody, and following a search, was found to have £190 worth of cash in her bra, plus two small cling film wraps and a third larger packet of Class A drugs concealed inside her.
A search was then carried out of the hotel room she had been staying in, uncovering a further wrap of cocaine, a knife, scales, clingfilm and grinder.
The total amount of drugs seized amounted to £1,615 in value.
A search of her phone further indicated she had been in supply of the Class A drugs.
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In a police interview, Bowers made a confession that it was “money she was attracted to”, but said she was then told “she had to sell or she would get hurt”.
She gave police some information about the person who had been threatening her, but did not engage with police in any modern day slavery allegations, Ms Fargin said.
Mitigating, Mark Florida-James noted that his client was “vulnerable” and had been living in a homeless hostel at the time of the offences.
He told the court: “We know from experience this is how drug gangs operate - they do target those that appear to be vulnerable.
“This is a young woman who has not previously been convicted. She has been quite honest in her involvement here.
“She’s at least done the right thing, she’s stayed out of trouble ever since, and she’s got the support of her family.
“I can say quite confidently on her behalf she will not get into trouble in the future - she has really learnt her lesson.”
Addressing Bowers, Judge William Mousley KC said: “When you were interviewed by the police you admitted what you were doing and said you had been under some pressure, but that you did it for the money.
“The basis of plea handed to me has described you as a vulnerable person.
"You were also recruited when you were homeless and you were controlled by others, all of that I accept.”
While Judge Mousley acknowledged the defendant had been “groomed, controlled and recruited” into becoming a dealer, he said there were “elements to show that [Bowers] carried out a significant role in that supply” and that she was “clearly aware of the scale of it”.
Bowers, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 21 months in jail suspended for two years.
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