And objects that could have fallen into the hands of her 11-year-old daughter
A 32-year-old mother from Manchester had a second, illegal life that she diligently hid from her husband and daughter. Until her secret was revealed and the young woman was arrested and taken to prison.
Clare Tague hid a large amount of cocaine in her house, in fact in objects that could well have fallen into the hands of her 11-year-old daughter.
During a search of the family home in Clayton on May 18, police found cocaine in bags and "bricks" in chocolate eggs, in supermarket bags hidden under a trash can in the kitchen and on shelves.
A total of 1,2 kilos of high purity cocaine were found, the value of which is estimated at 275.000 euros.
No data for commercial transactions were found on the 32-year-old's mobile phone. According to the Manchester court, the traders would go to her house, take the drug and then market it.
After her arrest, Tague asked to speak to her husband, telling police she knew nothing about drugs, as was eventually proven in court.
The 32-year-old, who had no previous convictions, said in her apology that she came to this point because she was desperately looking for money due to accumulated gambling debts and also because she had difficulty managing the loss of her father.
Attorney Rachel White, who had defended her, stressed that she did not sell drugs herself. "She said people went to her house and took them (drugs). He did not sell them directly to users ", he said.
She also stood by the reasons that led her to become illegal, saying that she could not manage her father's death, as a result of which she found a way out of gambling, creating a lot of debts.
Judge Martin Walsh found her guilty of possession with intent to supply cocaine and sentenced her to six years in prison, stressing that drugs are a scourge on communities and ruin lives.
"Although we do not believe Tague was selling drugs on the street, it was clearly involved in the supply chain and was making a profit from the cocaine trade.", commented after the trial the police director Terry Macmillan