A WOMAN from Rhyl who hid heroin up her bottom and was involved in a drugs operation was spared jail.
Ashley Hawkes, 29, of East Parade, was handed a suspended sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court today (February 15), as was Andrew Nicholson, 41, of Maes Arthur, Rhyl, who was also involved.
The sentencing of a third man who was involved – Richard Shenouda, 49, of Rhos Road, Rhos-on-Sea - was adjourned until August.
Prosecuting, Anna Pope told the court of how, in April 2021, Shenouda and Hawkes set up a base for their drugs operation at a room at the Travelodge hotel in Colwyn Bay.
Shenouda was said to have funded the booking of the hotel room and was “directing the operation”, with Hawkes working as his “street dealer”.
Nicholson’s involvement was limited to April 12-14, after he was recruited by Hawkes to assist her with packaging drugs.
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Hawkes and Shenouda first checked in to the hotel on April 1, and the booking remained active until April 14, when police attended.
When they arrived at the hotel room, Hawkes and Nicholson were present, and a number of phones and drug paraphernalia, including a notebook containing a “dealers list”, were found.
A blue rucksack, which Hawkes told officers belonged to her “partner”, Shenouda, was searched.
Inside it, two larges wraps of heroin and cocaine were found, as well as crack cocaine and diamorphine.
A phone was also recovered from the backpack, which was later found to have Shenouda’s fingerprints on it.
When Hawkes was searched, 3.78g of heroin was found from her anus, as was a phone from inside her bra.
Nicholson handed over two wraps of heroin, and said he’d gone to the room to buy heroin for someone else.
Shenouda was arrested inside a car parked outside the hotel on the same morning; more than £150 in bank notes were recovered from the vehicle.
The total street value of the drugs seized was up to £2,130, while at Shenouda’s home address, MDMA tablets and liquid methadone were also found.
Shenouda and Nicholson had 21 and nine previous convictions for 35 and 16 offences respectively, including drugs-related matters.
Hawkes had 10 previous convictions for 24 offences, none of which were concerned with drugs.
Defending Shenouda, Simon Rogers said he was working to reduce his methadone usage, and following the death of his son’s mother, was planning to have him move with in with him.
He was said to have been “making progress”, and has committed no further offences since.
Representing Hawkes, Simon Killeen said she became addicted to drugs several years ago, and was paid in drugs for her role in the operation “to feed her habit”.
Killeen said she “took no independent operational decisions” and “did what she was told”.
The probation service said she has shown “incredible commitment to engagement”, and now has a stable home and has found work with Britannia Hotels in Rhyl.
He told the court that she “just wants to move forward”, and that the opportunities so far given to her she has “grasped with both hands”.
Killeen also represented Nicholson, about whom he said had an “extremely limited” involvement, essentially spanning two days.
Nicholson was said to have missed the birth of his daughter during his time on remand in custody.
Killeen said he is focused on being a father to her, and is “convinced he can obtain legitimate employment, if given the opportunity”.
Judge Nicola Saffman issued the following sentences:
• Nicholson was sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years; 50 days’ rehabilitation activity; 200 hours’ unpaid work; and will pay a £190 surcharge.
• Hawkes was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years; 12 months’ drug rehabilitation; 35 days’ rehabilitation activity, 90 days’ trail monitoring; and will pay a £190 statutory surcharge.
• Though Shenouda’s sentence was adjourned, he was bailed with an electronically monitored tag, ordering him to be at his home address from 7pm-7am daily, and he must co-operate with the probation service in its preparation of a pre-sentence report.
Judge Saffman told Nicholson: “It’s going to be very difficult for you, as a man with your chequered background and your drug addiction previously, to complete unpaid work,” but that this would be “part of your rehabilitation”.
She added to Hawkes: “It’s clear to me that you were desperately addicted to drugs at the time of this offending.
“You have rehabilitated yourself considerably, in terms of drugs. You do not associate with people who encouraged you to be involved in this conspiracy. You now have a stable home and a job.
“It’s clear to me that you were acting upon the instructions of Mr Shenouda."
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