A TRAFFIC marshal sold drugs as she worked at the World Cycling Championships in Harrogate, York Crown Court heard.

Matthew Collins, prosecuting, said Monique Shiels, 25, had hundreds of pounds of cocaine and ketamine in her car when she was a traffic marshal for the event.

Police found messages on her phone indicating she had been dealing drugs for some time.

Shiels pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and ketamine, both with intent to supply them to others.

For Shiels, barrister Andrew Petterson said she was a drug user herself and was among those who didn't regard drug taking as a problem.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told Shiels: "These courts hears stories of robberies and fights and burglaries, all to pay people like you.

"That is why they do it. That is why (drug dealing) is such a serious crime.

"Do you understand, that is why you are going to prison?"

He jailed Shiels, of Water Skellgate, Ripon, for two years.

Mr Collins said police found 14g of cocaine worth £245 and 10.2g of ketamine worth up to £165 when they arrested Shiels on September 25, 2019.

She had £333 cash on her, scales and other drug dealing equipment.

The judge ordered the money and drug paraphernalia to be confiscated.

Mr Petterson said Shiels had no previous convictions for drug dealing and had never been to prison before.

She had been the victim of an abusive relationship which had led to her having issues with her mental health.

Mr Petterson said Shiels' mother had told him the 25-year-old had taken an "active role" in caring for her.

He gave details of the mother's medical problems.

At the time of the court case, Shiels was working as a TV sales adviser.

There had been an eight-month delay between the police starting forensic examination of her mobile phone and her first court appearance - before magistrates - in January 2021, said the defence barrister.

The Championships, which were broadcast around the world and brought top international cyclists and cycling fans from many countries to North Yorkshire, ran from September 22 to 29, 2019.

Shiels was arrested on the day of the elite men's time trial.