Danielle Stafford, 31, splashed tens of thousands of pounds on glitzy watches and Louis Vuitton bags before she was caught with drugs in her car by police
A luxury-loving woman has been forced to pay back £96,000 after she was caught running a drug dealing operation purely by chance. Danielle Stafford, 31, formerly of Hallgate, Cottingham, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in April 2023.
She admitted to three offences of being concerned in supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis, and another of possessing cash as criminal property, on dates spanning October 2017 to May 2020. Hull Crown Court heard the former University of Hull graduate and engineer had splashed out on nine watches and three expensive Louis Vuitton handbags. The case resurfaced as the court determined how much money Stafford made from her criminal activities. Prosecutor Nadim Bashir said a criminal benefit figure had been agreed at £96,263.
Hull Live reports Stafford has been ordered to pay the amount within three months or face another year of prison time, to be served consecutively. She attended the hearing via video link from prison.
In the original trial, Mr Bashir said police spotted a silver Audi heading along Priory Road towards Hull city centre at 7:30pm on May 12, 2020. It had been speeding and hastily turning onto Hotham Road South, cutting up a vehicle heading in the opposite direction.
“It was then driven at speed along Hotham Road South,” Mr Bashir said. The car was ultimately stopped in The Odd Bottle car park on Wold Road and officers could smell cannabis coming from inside the car.
Stafford “immediately lied”, telling police: “Ill be honest, I’ve got this” and went on to hand a small silver wrap containing two buds of cannabis skunk. Police went on to find cannabis on her, including a food bag containing cannabis skunk and, from a pocket, another food bag containing cannabis skunk.
“From the moment of seizure of the drugs to the arrival in the police station custody suite, the mobile iPhone was constantly ringing and receiving messages from different people,” said Mr Bashir. “Some 30 phone calls were received and 10 to 20 text messages.”
While on the way to the police station, Stafford was seen “fidgeting” with her jogging bottoms and was asked if she had more drugs hidden. She said: “Yes, but it’s not mine and I don’t know what it is. I shoved it down my joggers when you pulled me.”
Stafford then pulled out a bag containing a large amount of small bags of cocaine. Police said there were 56 wraps, valued at £2,800.
When police searched her property in Cottingham, they found cocaine valued at £13,500 and an estimated £4,100 of heroin in a jar. Stafford denied knowledge of them.
An estimated £2,500 of herbal cannabis was found in an empty banana box and bank notes totalling £670 as well as £2,350 and £1,480 in cash. More cash, valued at £7,580 was found in a safe, but she denied it was hers.
Mr Bashir said Stafford was an “enthusiastic” cannabis dealer and had become a cocaine dealer. He added: “The natural result of this was that she was able to accumulate a substantial amount of wealth, including purchasing an investment property, a house to rent. Cash found in her home address amounted to £26,917.
“The contents of her home address in Hallgate, Cottingham, is strong evidence of the nature of her drugs business. The amount, type and value of drugs found at her home were substantial. The drugs alone were street valued at £33,600. This is sustained drug dealing.”