Mother-of-two drug baker, 37, made desserts laced with hashish in between homeschooling after which marketed them on the market on Instagram
A mother-of-two drug baker who sold cannabis laced cakes on Instagram in between homeschooling has been spared jail.
Charlotte Owens, 37, marked the delicacies with her own brand stickers – trafficking them from her three-bedroomed semi-detached home in Aintree, Liverpool.
Police officers raided the property in June 2024 and found cannabis, equipment for making confectionery, labels bearing the logo ‘Spaceicles’ and cash totalling £1,020.
Owens admitted selling the items but said she had mental and physical health issues including chronic kidney disease – insisting prison would have an impact on her children.
She claimed all the cannabis found at her home was used for edibles and for her own consumption and that she was not peddling the drug itself.
At Sefton magistrates’ court, Owens faced up to three years in jail under sentencing guidelines after she admitted possessing drugs with intent to supply.
However, she was sentenced to 35 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Miss Gayle McCoubrey, prosecuting, said: ‘Police executed a warrant at the defendant’s home address following an investigation into county lines drug supply.
Charlotte Owens (pictured), 37, marked the delicacies with her own brand labels – trafficking them from her three-bedroomed semi in Aintree, Liverpool
‘They recovered a quantity of cannabis, £1,020 in cash and several items of equipment for making confectionery. There were also stickers bearing a brand name – Spaceicles 420 – and a laptop with the same sticker on it.
‘There was an Instagram account used for advertising cake-like confectionery containing THC. She has no previous convictions or cautions but in respect of where the matter falls in the sentencing guidelines, hers was significant role and was street dealing.’
In mitigation for Owens, defence solicitor Charlotte Bagley said: ‘It was a guilty plea at the first opportunity. There was a basis of plea. She does accept responsibility as the presentence report shows for creating the Instagram account and having full conduct with that.
‘She is remorseful and understands that she has done wrong. As the report notes any custodial sentence would have a significant impact on both her mental and physical health. She has chronic kidney disease but she has been monitoring herself.
‘A custodial sentence would also have an impact on her two children. One has cystic fibrosis and the other is home schooled which Miss Owens assists with as the home carer.’
Owens, who lives off state handouts, was also ordered to complete ten rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours of unpaid work.
And she was made to pay £272 in costs and surcharge.
District Judge James Hatton told her: ‘You were involved in the enterprise for your own financial gain and you are at least honest about that. But the guidelines are very clear and the question for this court is whether a custodial sentence can be suspended.
‘I am conscious of the presentence report, particularly the impact your loss of liberty would have on your children, particularly as one has additional needs. Whereas your offending is so serious as to cross the custody threshold there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
‘Therefore, that sentence can be suspended.’
