Hull graduate ran Class A drugs empire to fund luxury lifestyle

A 29-year-old woman secretly funded a lavish lifestyle of designer handbags, foreign holidays and buying a second house by selling heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis.

Engineer and University of Hull graduate Danielle Stafford ran her Class A drugs empire from her home in Cottingham.

She was caught only by chance when police stopped her for speeding and could smell cannabis coming from inside the car and this aroused their suspicions.

Officers found bags of cannabis and skunk in her white Audi car as well as bags of cannabis on her person.

An empty tub containing drug residue was also found. The total value of the cannabis was £1,308.

They also recovered her phone which constantly rang or pinged with up to 20 messages relating to drugs.

She was arrested and police later discovered £26,917 in cash hidden around her three-bedroom home in Cottingham as well as drugs with a street value of £33,600.

A glass jar with plastic bags inside was found hidden behind a bag of coal bricks in a coal bunker in the rear garden.

There were 270 wraps of crack cocaine, valued at £13,500, and 205 wraps of heroin, valued at £4,100, in the jar. Stafford denied knowledge of them.

In the living room, herbal cannabis, valued at £2,500, was found in an open, empty banana box on a table. She denied that it belonged to her.

Two glass jars contained cannabis valued at £370. Police also found weighing scales, a large amount of cash and more food bags. She admitted that this belonged to her.

In Stafford's bedroom, £430 cash and £25.36 in coins were found. Herbal cannabis and Ecstasy tablets were found. Bank notes totalling £670 were found as well as £2,350 and £1,480 cash.

She had luxuries including nine watches and three Louis Vuitton handbags and she was "awash with cash from her drug dealing business", Hull Crown Court heard.

Nadim Bashir, prosecuting, said holidays had been taken but there was no trace from her bank account of her buying foreign currency or making purchases overseas.

"Again, evidence of an additional cash stream income," said Mr Bashir.

Stafford had bought her Cottingham home in March 2016 for £124,999 in her sole name with a mortgage and a property in Hotham Road South in July 2018 without a mortgage for £68,500 in equal shares with her aunt.

Stafford paid the "lion's share" of £64,927 from cashing in premium bonds and she told police that she bought it to rent out.

"Even with rental or lodgings allowances, neither property was able to provide any significant source of income to justify the cash found in the house," said Mr Bashir.

During police interview, Stafford claimed that a Liverpool man had been staying with her on and off and that he had telephoned her to say that he had left something at her home.

When she got home, there was a large amount of cannabis and, when he asked her to take it to him, she said that she did not feel comfortable doing so.

She claimed that he asked her just to bring a bag which was there and, in a panic, she grabbed a bag and was driving to meet him. Stafford denied that she or the man were dealing drugs but later admitted that she would drive to Liverpool and bring him back to Hull.

She denied knowledge of any of the large amounts of cash found around her home, claiming that she looked after it for the man, including keeping it for him in her own bedroom, apart from £2,350 which belonged to her.

"She said that the money in the safe had nothing to do with her and all the other cash belonged to the lad," said Mr Bashir.

He told the court that Stafford was an "enthusiastic" cannabis dealer and progressed to becoming a Class A cocaine dealer.

"The amount, type and value of drugs found at her home were substantial. It is, frankly, absurd to suggest that they were for her personal use or even belonged to some other unknown third party. The drugs alone were street valued at £33,600.

"Danielle Stafford has been associated with the supply of Class A and Class B drugs for a significant period of time. Her wages were paid into the bank account but were left to accrue because she never withdrew any cash for her day-to-day expenditure.

"She didn't need to because she was awash with cash from her drug dealing business. She was able to leave her salary to accrue, which she used to invest in property."

"She had somehow managed to avoid her drug dealing activities coming to the attention of the police for a substantial period of time," said Mr Bashir.

Stafford, of Hallgate, admitted 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 and May 2020.

She originally denied nine offences and a trial had started, with the prosecution opening its case, but she suddenly changed her pleas to guilty on four charges.

Sentence was adjourned for reports and Stafford, who has no previous convictions, was allowed conditional bail.

She has previously spent lengthy periods in custody but was later allowed bail.

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