A woman whose son was jailed for drugs offences was caught dealing class A substances herself to try and pay off a debt, a court has heard.

Sandra Moniz, 40, was caught supplying heroin and cocaine to an undercover officer in Norwich.

Norwich Crown Court heard that Moniz’s son was arrested in 2018 and subsequently jailed for drugs offences.

The court was told “the debt he (her son) had accrued was passed over to her” and she was pressurised into “picking up where he left off”.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said the offences, which happened on January 24 this year, involved Moniz supplying a total of four wraps of class A drugs, three wraps of cocaine and one of heroin, for £25 to the undercover officer on Mousehold Street in Norwich.

Mr Ivory said other people were also supplied drugs by the defendant who appeared with a piece of paper, like an “order sheet” before handing over the drugs.

Moniz was arrested together with others when police attended her address at Cannell Green in March this year.

Mr Ivory said she had been street dealing and accepted that she must have been out under “some pressure for months and found herself unable to resist”.

Monizus, of Cannell Green, Norwich, appeared at court on Monday (May 18) when she admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Rob New, mitigating, said the defendant became known to those who dealt in drugs.

He said she had been concerned for the safety of her son, who had been involved in drugs, and went to the police.

But Mr New said she went onto become involved with drugs herself.

He said she had mental health issues and should be given credit for her pleas.

Judge Andrew Shaw said Moniz had been vulnerable to being coerced or cajoled into this murky world after her son’s own involvement in class A drugs and the debt left by him.

But he said that only an immediate custodial sentence was justified for those involved in selling class A drugs in the street.

Judge Shaw jailed Moniz for a total of 20 months. Moniz, who appeared via videolink from HMP Peterborough, broke down in tears as the sentence was announced.