A judge has criticised a single mother who claimed she was forced into transporting drugs after accumulating a £5,000 debt, yet later spent £4,000 on cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
Court Details and Judge's Remarks
At Teesside Crown Court, Chantelle Straughan, 31, insisted she "had no choice" but to carry nearly £12,000 worth of cocaine to settle her debt and feared for her children's safety if she refused. Judge Amanda Rippon told her: "You say you owed £5,000 to someone and this offending was a way of getting rid of that debt. I cannot comprehend what was going on in your mind- spending thousands of pounds on a cosmetic procedure. It is irresponsibility of the highest order."
Straughan admitted possession of a class A drug with intent at an earlier hearing on the basis that she acted as a courier only, which the prosecution accepted.
Incident and Arrest
She was caught with 147g of cocaine when her car was searched by police on March 2. The mum-of-two asked officers: "I didn't know that was in the car! Where was that?"
Straughan stated she had been travelling to Hull when she "got lost" and exited the A19 southbound. Police intercepted her and searched her VW Golf on Brookfield Avenue in Middlesbrough, reports Teesside Live.
Defence and Sentencing
On Monday, August 17, Judge Rippon revealed Straughan had actually been driving to visit her boyfriend in HMP Hull that day. The judge noted that bail conditions had been modified at an earlier hearing to allow travel to Turkey.
"I hear she decided to be vain - that she went for a lip job or similar. And she's going to try and persuade me, through you, that she's poverty-stricken and that she focuses on her children?" the judge questioned defence barrister Sophie Johnstone.
"Her self-esteem was pummelled into the ground," Ms Johnstone responded. "That's no excuse for going to Turkey for this procedure. She needs help."
The defence barrister explained that her client's "finances are all over the place" and that she "made a mistake" in pursuing the cosmetic surgery. The court was told Straughan receives Universal Credit and was reluctant to seek financial assistance from her parents when she fell into debt.
"I would ask for one last chance," Ms Johnstone pleaded, requesting a suspended sentence. "She is being evicted from her address as a result of these proceedings."
Judge Rippon addressed Straughan directly: "Your boyfriend is in HMP Hull. You're now a convicted drug dealer. You have two boys. You will be their world. Their world. The men that you choose to associate with will influence them. Your behaviour will influence them."
The judge explained she was suspending Straughan's prison sentence for the sake of her children, instructing her: "You move forward with them in mind."
Straughan, of Scholars Road in Sunderland, received an 18-month prison term suspended for two years. She must complete 30 rehabilitation days and undertake 120 hours of unpaid work.
"If you come back in front of me for breaching this order," the judge continued, "I will lock you up to protect your boys. If you come back to my court, bring a suitcase."
