Healthcare professional caught in car buying cocaine from Ashfield dealer

Zoe Walker and Tyler Williams both appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday after admitting drugs offences.

Walker, 25, of Dundee Drive, Mansfield Woodhouse, admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug to another when she appeared before the court.

Williams, 24, of Newcastle Street, Sutton, admitted supplying a Class A drug, and possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

The court was told Williams had started using cocaine and alcohol following the death of his grandmother in 2016, and had been forced to start street dealing to pay off his debts to drug gangs.

Walker, who ‘worked in the emergency department of a local healthcare provider’, had been bulk-buying the drug for herself and a friend to save money – and had started using heavily following the break-up of her three-year relationship, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Lisa Hardy told the court police had found both of them in the same car after Williams had tried to break into a nearby property – and when searched, quantities of the drug and paraphernalia had been found on both of them.

When their mobile phones were examined, they revealed evidence of buying and dealing.

Defending Williams, David Outterside said the defendant had turned his life around since his arrest in 2019, supported his partner with their disabled daughter, had got clean of drugs and now ran his own business.

He told the court: “He was dealing the drug for a relatively short period of time, well over two years ago and there have been no offences since.

“He had to move out of his parents house when he was a child and moved in with his grandmother, who sadly died in 2016, and he had descended into drink and drug to try and deal with the trauma.

“He quickly burned through his inheritance and built up some vast debts to some very ugly characters and was beaten up on more than one occasion and got into this brief period of street dealing.”

Mitigating for Walker, Katrina Wilson, said: “She was self-medicating following the break-up of her three-year relationship and she appreciates that she needed a reality check, and this came when she was arrested for the first time in her life.

“Because of this conviction, she does not know if she will be able to carry on with her profession. She is being sentenced for one day, when she had been with a friend and both had been using cocaine.

“Defendant Williams had said to her, ‘does your mate want some?’, and she had said ‘yes’.

“Many people addicted to drugs so take them with their peers and not all of them end up before a crown court.

“Her parents, whilst they do not support what happened, are supportive of her efforts to get her life back on track.”

Recorder Penelope Stanistreet-Keen sentenced Williams to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and be on an electronically-monitored curfew for four months.

Walker was given a 12-month community order to also include 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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