Woman jailed after allowing friend to sell drugs in her house

Mother-of-three Doreen Jane Setchall was "unhappy" about the man selling heroin to callers, but did nothing to stop him, Durham Crown Court was told.

As part of Operation Cormorant, police saw a man call at the house, being let in, and then leaving minutes later.

His car was searched and officers found an amount of heroin, Gavin Doig, prosecuting, told the court.

Both Setchall and the "family friend" were arrested when a search warrant was activated at the house, in May Lea, Witton Gilbert, near Durham, that evening.

Setchall told police that the man and his girlfriend were frequent visitors, and while at the house, people would call on his mobile phone before knocking at the door.

Mr Doig said when asked about the man selling heroin, Setchall told interviewing officers: "I'm not happy about the fact he does it".

She said she went "berserk" with him over it, but accepted she should have done something to stop him.

Euan Duff, for Setchall, said she knew the family friend was a heroin addict and mistakenly thought she could help him.

She became aware, "on occasions" when he called, he was supplying others.

Mr Duff said: "She reluctantly allowed him. She failed to prevent him from supplying from the house and she acknowledges, as the householder, she had the authority and responsibility to prevent him."

But Mr Duff said she had moved away from the village now and has nothing to do with the man, who faces prosecution for drug dealing.

Setchall, 28, now of Cheviot Terrace, South Stanley, admitted allowing her premises to be used for the supply of drugs.

Jailing her, Recorder Jeffrey Lewis said: "It's clear he was not just using your home, but he was supplying more extensively than that.

"You didn't take sufficient steps to stop him.

"I'm prepared to accept it was mistaken loyalty to a friend by not taking a hard and firm line with him.

"I appreciate it would have been difficult taking that line, but that's what should have been done."