A Burnley woman has been spared prison after a spree of drug dealing offences two years ago.

Francesca Wallace, of The Spinney, Burnley, appeared before Preston Crown Court having been pulled over by police on May 14, 2022, carrying £2,500 worth of cocaine.

Ellie McManus, prosecuting, explained how officers had pursued her car, which sped up to avoid arrest, and after eventually getting it to stop they told Wallace she was being detained for a search.

She tried to close her driver's side door and put the keys back into the ignition, causing a scuffle to start in the middle of the road as she refused to listen to comply with police.

Police also found quantities of ketamine and cannabis gummy sweets in her possession at the stop.

Her home address was searched, and large quantities of cash were found in an unopened safe.

As well as the drugs, four mobile phones were seized and one of the phones contained messages relating to the supply of drugs.

 The 26-year-old, who has no previous convictions was said to have played a lesser role in the drug dealing organisation, and had admitted she was aware of the class and category of the types of drugs she was carrying, but was not involved in the production or breaking down of the substances.

No drug paraphernalia was found at the defendant's house, and it was said in mitigation Wallace had been naive to the seriousness of her offending.

She pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and ketamine, and possession of the cannabis-based sweets.

Judge Phillip Parry, in sentencing, said: “When we look at a significant role, she didn’t have an operational or management function.

"She was doing what she was told to do, she didn’t involve others, but there was an expectation of financial gain.

“Even if it is not every day and it is two or three days a week, she still would be making £2,000 a month.

"If she had been in an operation for 10 months, she would have had some understanding of her involvement."

Alison Whalley, mitigating, told the court Wallace was a woman of good character and had been in a toxic and abusive relationship before her offending.

She was said to have turned to alcohol and ended up “getting in with the wrong crowd” and was incredibly regretful and remorseful for her actions.

Since her arrest, she had been assessed as being at low risk of reoffending and serious harm, and the incident had been a "huge deterrent and a wake-up call".

Passing sentence, Judge Parry vented his frustration that the case had taken more than two-and-a-half years to reach the courts.

Wallace was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.