A woman dealt cocaine for two months to “pay off her debts” a court heard Sarah Garstang of Tulip Avenue was arrested after police discovered “scales, snap bags, a teaspoon and suspected traces of cocaine” stashed in a red metal box and hidden in her living room at her home in Kearsley. (Image: Leah Collins) A bundle of cash of £3,700 was discovered in her bedroom as well as a debtors list of suspected clientele, a small stash of cocaine concurrent with “personal use” was confiscated at the scene. A black Hermes handbag, which was placed in Ms Garstang’s wardrobe contained £2,800 in cash and blue latex gloves, as well as an iPhone that contained “drug-related” messages.
She pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A substances and the possession of criminal property earlier this year. The court heard that Ms Garstang supplied cocaine to around fifteen clients, who were “known drug users” and would buy cocaine for her on a regular basis. Ms Garstang, also known as ‘Saj’, was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder having discovered her deceased partner after he died due to suicide during lockdown in June 2020.
A fifty-page psychological report revealed that she began experiencing symptoms of PTSD six months later and was diagnosed in June 2021 and that it was “highly likely” Ms Garstang was suffering from symptoms whilst she was dealing. The court heard that Ms Garstang was claiming around £1,400 a month in universal credi.
