A NORTHWICH woman who said she was 'in fear of Scousers' has been jailed for her part in an attempt to supply heroin and crack cocaine in the town.

Lynette Jade Thompson, 34, of Lilac Drive was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison after being found with dozens of wraps of the Class A drugs worth thousands of pounds.

She was being sentenced at Chester Crown Court via a live video link to HMP Styal, having previous pleaded guilty to the offences.

Prosecuting barrister Frances Willmott, told the court how Thompson had been the passenger in a car that was stopped by police as it made its way from Widnes to Northwich on December 31 last year.

Ms Willmott said officers immediately recognised Thompson, who has a long history of drug-related offending, mostly through shoplifting, but how an initial roadside search proved negative.

"They were asked what they were doing in the area and both appeared visually nervous," she said.

"They were taken to a police station where Thompson produced a cling film package from her waistband, saying she was in fear of Scousers who were forcing her to sell the drugs."

In total, Thompson was found with 12 packages of heroin and 24 of crack cocaine, with the drugs wrapped in layers of cling film and said to have a street value of around £3,500.

Ms Willmott went on to say how police offered Thompson the opportunity for the matter to be dealt with as one of modern slavery, but how this option was not taken forward as she had asked for her and her partner to be moved home.

"It would appear this is a county lines drug delivery," explained Ms Willmott.

"She was no doubt motivated by some advantage, whether that be drug use or a paying a drug debt.

"It can't be said she has had any influence in the plot."

Philip Clemo, defending, said his client at least had the good sense to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity, but how she had been threatened with violence if she didn't do as she was told.

He said: "She has a classic record as a drug user and with all due respect to the court, not as a drug dealer.

"She has been blighted by it for the vast majority of her life.

"She has ended up running up a debt and told she would be subject to violence if she didn't pay up.

"There was an incident not long before her arrest when an air rifle had been pointed through the letter box at her home and threats made that she would be shot.

"She could have gone to the police and although I can't say she did what she did under duress, there was definitely some level of coercion involved.

"If modern slavery was offered by the police then there has to be something in that.

"She made a very silly mistake and will now have to pay for it."