A SWEET shop owner who was selling drugs on the side was caught with amphetamines stashed in her leggings, a court heard.

Melanie Jane Hewson’s confectionary store, Sweets Galore, was raided by police officers in November 2018. They found the Class B drug and immediately shut the shop, which was located directly opposite a children’s nursery in Stanley.

After finding an amount of white powder hidden in Hewson's leggings and handbag, the 52-year-old’s home was searched by police, who uncovered two cannabis plants.

Hewson went on to give a “no comment” interview to police and later pleaded not guilty in court to possession with intent to supply, before changing her plea to guilty yesterday, the day the trial was due to begin.

Christopher Baker, prosecuting, said: “Police attended Sweets Galore, at 251 Park Road where they found the defendant behind the counter.

“She was asked if she had any drugs in her possession and she admitted that she had some drugs in her handbag.

“Approximately three grams of amphetamine was recovered from her leggings and 18g from her handbag.”

A police officer described the drugs as approximately 23 under-weight one-gram deals with a street value of between £130 and £150.

Mr Baker added: “When police searched her home in Elm Street [Stanley] they found two cannabis grows hidden in rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. They have a street value of between £1,600 and £2,300.”

Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said his client had a history of anxiety and depression which had led her to misuse drugs.

He added: “She began using cannabis to help with anxiety and amphetamine because of the appetite suppression for help with what she perceives as weight difficulties.

“There is no drug misuse now and she has since turned the sweet business into a florist.”

Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker said Hewson’s role was a “significant one” but there was no evidence to suggest drugs had been sold to young people.

He told her: “This was not a commercial enterprise and you were not out for profit but subsidising your own habit.”

Hewson was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months,