A MUM-OF-TWO was spared jail for allowing drugs to be prepared in her home, while two dealers were locked up for a total of seven years and nine months.

The three were running a “small scale” cocaine dealing operation in July 2015 from Lisa Copperthwaite’s home in Aspen Court, Laindon, when police arrived in the street on an unrelated matter.

Basildon Crown Court heard how officers watched as a panicked Thomas Flynn, 25, of Newberry Side, Laindon, tried to hide a “man-bag” containing 39 wraps of the class A drug in the garden.

Police searched the premises and found Sam Chambers, 24, in the house he shared with Copperthwaite, 41, surrounded by drugs paraphernalia.

This included lottery slips for wrapping cocaine, scales, customer lists, mobile phones and 162 grams of bicarbonate of soda- a mixing agent.

The total amount of cocaine found was 13 grams.

Matthew Sorrell-Cameron, prosecuting, said the aggravating factor for all three was the fact Copperthwaite’s 16-year-old daughter also lived at the address.

He said: “She allowed these two men to use her premises as a base for drug dealing, whether to store the drugs, prepare the drugs or sell the drugs.”

Chambers admitted possession with intent to supply a class A drug and possession of cannabis. Flynn was found guilty of the same charges after a trial.

Copperthwaite was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of a class drug. She also admitted answering bail with an offensive weapon in July last year - namely a snooker ball in a sock.

Chambers is already serving a three-year sentence for drug dealing offences committed just nine days after he was arrested and bailed.

Flynn has 43 previous offences, mostly for theft and failing to surrender to bail.

Judge Samantha Leigh jailed Chambers for three years and nine months and Flynn for four years. She handed Copperthwaite a 24 month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.