Woman, 43, is jailed for drug dealing (From York Press)

Deborah Patterson, 43, is jailed for drug dealing

8:51am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

A WOMAN with a long history of drug addiction has been jailed for 15 months after being found with amphetamine.

York Crown Court heard that following a police raid on her home Deborah Patterson, 43, admitted possessing and intending to supply the drug fluoroamphetamine.

Officers found 35g of the drug, with an estimated street value of £370, when they executed a warrant on her house in Cornlands Road in August last year. Patterson was arrested and later admitted buying the class-A drug with an intention to sell part of the haul, though she believed the drug to be class B.

The court was also told she had a long history of drug use and had previous convictions for possession stretching back to 1991.

Taryn Turner, for the defence, said it was clear that her client had a long-standing difficulty with drugs – particularly amphetamines – but she had recently been offered a job in a local card factory.

She said: “At 43-years-old there comes a point where she really must tackle the problems she has and she realises that."

Passing a sentence of 15 months in prison, the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst said: “You are someone with a very long history of addiction to amphetamine.

“You have been convicted on two previous occasions of possession with intent to supply. In 2001 you were dealt with at this court with intent to supply amphetamine.

“You were given help at that stage. it's quite clear you didn’t alter your lifestyle. You have reverted to dealing. There’s evidence of some text messages that people were reliant on you as a dealer.”

He said: “It appears you have been somewhat fatalistic about this case and see prison as an escape route from your problems.”