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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Jason Evans

Woman caught using friend's house to run drug operation while she was on holiday

A woman was dealing drugs while house-sitting for a friend who was away in Thailand, a court has heard.

Naomi Louise Polverino had returned to Swansea after working in London, and with "time on her hands" and no income turned to dealing cannabis.

Swansea Crown Crown heard the 25-year-old is now pregnant, had has given up using the drug.

Hannah George, prosecuting, said police executed a search warrant at a house in Idris Terrace, Plasmarl, Swansea in February last year.

Finding the front door unlocked the officers walked in, and came across Polverino in the living room.

The property was searched, and officers uncovered bags containing 108g of cannabis - worth around £1,060 - in the living room and kitchen.

The defendant was arrested and gave a "no comment" interview, but said she was house-sitting at the property while her friend was abroad.

Miss George said the defendant was released under investigation while her phone was examined, an examination which later uncovered messages relating to dealing.

The owner of the Plasmarl house subsequently confirmed to police she had been in Thailand at the time of the offending.

The prosecutor said the delay in the case coming to court was partly due to forensic testing being done on the packaging the cannabis was wrapped in.

Polverino, of Ivy Bush Court, St Thomas, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply when she appeared in the dock for sentencing.

The court heard she has no previous convictions.

This is what you can do if you think your neighbours are smoking weed

Andrew Evans, for Polverino, said his client had been working in London before returning to Swansea.

He said she found herself without a job and with "time on her hands", and turned to dealing to friends not just to fund her own use, but to make money.

The advocate said the defendant was expecting her first child and no longer used controlled substances, and was determined that such conduct was in the past and "is not part of her future".

Judge Catherine Richards said she was gratified to learn the defendant had given up cannabis.

Giving Polverino a one-third discount for her guilty plea she sentenced her to eight months prison suspended for 12 months.

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