Jail for Nelson cocaine dealer

Sonia Sikander (23), of Grove Place, London, but formerly of Newport Street, Nelson, was jailed for two years at Burnley Crown Court after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

Police discovered the cocaine in a raid at the Nelson house on May 11th, 2013, when six individual wraps of cocaine were found in a cupboard under the stairs, the court heard. Each bag was valued at £20.

Mr Stephen Parker (prosecuting) told the court that the police also found digital scales, a quantity of snap bags and plastic gloves.

The court heard a mobile phone was also recovered at Sikander’s house with “a number of drug related” messages found on it for requests for cocaine.

Mr Parker told the court one message said “Where are you? Got a 20 bag drop to do” which the prosecution believed suggested that somebody else was working for her.

Mr Parker said Sikander had told the police she had held a party and that the cocaine must have been left behind by people at that party.

Mr Nicholas Dearing (defending) said Sikander had a cocaine addiction at the time and was previously of good character. He said she had committed no further offences in the ensuing 11 months.

Mr Dearing said Sikander did not have anybody working for her and said the situation was “quite the opposite” in that she was still “in fear” of her partner and receiving letters from him from prison while he was serving a sentence for supply of Class A drugs.

Mr Dearing said Sikander lacked the “contacts, wherewithal and clout” to run a Class A dealing operation, describing her as a “vulnerable, naive young lady” who had made “foolish choices” but had moved to London to get away from the area and secured employment in a “hard but honest job”.

However, sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt said her partner was not there forcing her to do anything and that Sikander was “receiving drugs and arranging supply”.

Judge Lunt said: “Plainly, you knew exactly what you were doing. It’s perhaps worse knowing how evil it is as an addict yourself that you were willing to supply it to others.”