A mother-of-two, who claims her abusive boyfriend persuaded her to smuggle £371,000 worth of cocaine into the UK, was jailed for four-and-a-half years yesterday.
Simone Sophia Napier, 33, of Cuthbert Avenue, Levenshulme, Manchester tried to sneak the drugs through Gatwick Airport in four tins of fruit juice while travelling with her children, aged eight and eleven.
She pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to importing 1.86 kilos of powder – containing 1.43 kilos of 100% pure cocaine – on January 22.
Prosecutor Miss Shekinah Anson told the court Napier was stopped in the airport’s north terminal at 9am after stepping off a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“A field test of the contents of the tins resulted in a positive test for cocaine in the liquid solution.
“She was arrested and questioned and said she did not pack the fruit tins into her case.”
Napier’s lawyer Mr. Anthony Egan said: “A year ago she met her boyfriend and against the advice of her family and friends began a relationship.
“The relationship went from bad to worse. “It was an abusive relationship and she was effectively under his control.”
The court heard Napier became anxious about the health of her grandmother in Jamaica and was keen to visit her.
“Her boyfriend said he could fund the trip and she would receive a sum of money if she did something.
“She was reluctant, but he pressed her and she eventually agreed to it.
“She had been pressed into this by her boyfriend.”
Judge Thomas Joseph told first-time offender Napier: “You were a courier and went out deliberately to the Caribbean knowing you were going to brink back drugs.
“Couriers play and important part in the distribution of drugs and there have to be significant sentences.
“You were doing it for the money.”
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