Northamptonshire gran unmasked as cocaine dealer in sleepy village | UK News

A glamourous dog-walking gran duped neighbours into thinking she was living the high life until she was sniffed out as a drug dealer.

Julie Dawn Cobley, 62, appeared to have everything she needed with a nice car, designer clothes and a £400,000 home in the sleepy village of Deanshanger, Northhamptonshire.

But a court heard neighbours became suspicious of a steady stream of visitors who appeared at her house at all times of the day and night.

They would arrive at her doorstep but would not enter or engage with Cobley before quickly leaving.

According to the MailOnline, Cobley was actually depositing packets of cocaine at her bins and putting the white wraps on the inside of her letterbox in exchange for cash.

Cobley was spared jail after being convicted for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months at Northampton crown court last month.

She was also fined £187 and ordered to pay £230 in court costs.

The suspended sentence came after a quantity of cocaine with an estimated street value of between £4,000 and £8,500 was found in her home.

Police officers searched her home on July 27 last year, and during the searchCobley admitted there were Class A drugs in the address and led officers to a safe.

It contained 16 individual wraps of cocaine along with more of the drug in three clear plastic bags and a green plastic container.

A mobile phone and £230 in cash were also seized from the property and Cobley was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply before later being released under investigation.

Following an extensive investigation, Cobley was charged and on June 1 this year she appeared before Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Josh Ellard, who led the investigation, said: ‘This warrant was executed as a direct result of community intelligence and reports from members of the public who were concerned about drug-related issues in their area.

‘Tackling and preventing drug harm is a matter of priority for the force and we will continue to act on the concerns of our communities to disrupt drug dealers, who prey on the most vulnerable people in our society and bring misery to others.

‘This is a prime example of how we can work together with our partners and residents to take positive action against issues affecting them and I would urge anyone who has concerns about drug dealing within their local communities to keep reporting suspicious activity to us.’

Earlier this week, Cobley was pictured carrying an expensive looking designer handbag and wearing knee length boots and a fake fur trimmed coat.

She was seen getting into her stylish Jaguar estate car complete with personalised registration plates, but refused to discuss the case with journalists.

Locals described Cobley as a popular member of the community.

One said: ‘She was lovely, such a nice lady who would do anything for you. She was the life and soul of the village, everyone knows her.

‘So that is why it’s so shocking and surprising that she was dealing cocaine from her home. 

‘There are families with young children in the street. We would hear rumours but you kind of dismiss them as gossip but there was a constant stream of cars driving up to the property at all times of the day and night.

‘There was a wide variety of people as well. They’d pull up and either grab a small bag or wrap from by the bins in front of the garage or reach in through the letter box.

‘They’d then post cash through and leave. That was it, nobody ever went into the house and there was certainly never any violence or antisocial behaviour. Everything was quiet.

‘But for all the cars turning up we’d have never have known something was going on.’

Another neighbour said: ‘She’s as far from the stereotypical image of a drug dealer as you can get.

‘I was stunned when the police raided the property last summer. She admitted it all to them, actually led officers to the safe where all the drugs were.

‘She’s very nice to me whenever I’ve seen her. She welcomed me to the road when I moved in.

‘I think she’s been living there for a while, maybe 10-years or so. She’s quiet and keeps herself to herself.

‘But all the cars turning up to her house every minute of the day was a sign that something strange was going on.

‘Why she did it, I can’t say. I don’t think she works so she must have been making a lot of money.’

Anyone who has concerns about drug dealing or any other illegal activities, can report it to police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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