Woman found in bed with stash of heroin

One drug package was recovered from the bed and Sherree Harding revealed another 32 packages hidden on her.

She claimed she had been asked to look after the drugs which had been left at the address in Avon Road, Tolladine, the night before.

She shared the flat with a former boyfriend. He was charged but the case was later discontinued, said Peter Tooke, prosecuting.

Harding, aged 26, of Hillwood Close, Warndon Villages, Worcester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in heroin supply and also admitted two shoplifting offences, with a third taken into consideration.

Judge Toby Hooper freed her from jail and gave her a 12-month community order with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

He was told she had spent 56 days in custody on remand and had undergone drug detoxification.

The judge said the best way to protect the public from "the menace" of Harding being involved in drug supply was to ensure she had kicked her addiction. Police executed the search warrant at the flat on November 3, 2005.

Harding claimed she had been intimidated into committing the offence, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Last year she also stole four bottles of spirits from Waitrose in Droitwich and meat valued at £50 from Sainsbury's in Windermere Drive, Blackpole, Worcester.

She was filmed on CCTV at both locations and sold the meat for £15 to buy heroin for herself.

In March this year Harding stole four skirts from Marks & Spencer in Worcester.

But security staff alerted police who arrested her nearby along with an accomplice.

She had a record of 30 previous offences, 19 of them thefts to feed her drug habit.

Adam Western, defending, said while in custody she had been given the heroin substitute methadone but had now been weaned off it.

Some of her friends had died through drug abuse and it had taken its toll on her body.

The mother-of-two had become estranged from her hard-working parents who had made it known that they wanted no contact until she was drug free.