A LANCASTER mother who sold drugs from her home to feed her own habit has been jailed for six months.

Patricia Barwick, 42, of Ryelands Road, denied possessing cannabis resin with intent to supply, but was convicted by a jury after a trial in February.

Ken Hinds, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court that police that police with search warrants went to Barwick's home address on April 14 last year.

There were four officers in uniform and one in plain clothes. Barwick asked the plain clothes policeman: "What are you doing? Get away the police are here."

At that moment, a police car pulled up and the uniformed officers got out.

She told police: "The only thing I've got is this. Somebody asked me to look after it."

Mr Hind said her handbag contained an 111 gram block of cannabis resin.

She also had five wraps of the substance in her bag. A search of Barwick's home revealed cash and small pieces of cannabis resin.

A knife was found with the drug on it and scales were found under a settee.

Mr Hind said it was the prosecution's case that Barwick was selling cannabis to fund her own habit.

Mr Ian Dacre, defending, said Barwick did not accept her guilt. She had co-operated with police during the search and had directed them to the drugs.

Barwick had kept out of trouble for 18 years.

An order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.