A DRUG dealer found with 79 wraps of Class A drugs hidden in her private parts has avoided jail, despite it being her 134th conviction.

Vanessa Bex, 54, of Cleveland Drive, Westcliff was found with the drugs in a car with a co-defendant David Peacock, on May 18 in 2019.

Police stopped the car in Southend and both were arrested and during a personal search Bex was found with the wraps of cocaine and heroin.

Prosecuting, Gemma Noble, said: “Police stopped the car in London Road, Southend which was driven by Mr Peacock and Ms Bex was in the passenger seat.

“There were 40 wraps of cocaine, weighing 6.53g and 39 wraps of heroin, which weighed 6.75g.

“She has 134 previous convictions for drugs, criminal damage, theft.

“In these drug offences we say she had a significant role and must have had some understanding of the operation.

Mitigating, Cathryn Sutcliffe, told the court all of Bex’s offending stems from a drug addiction she’s had since the age of 23.

She said: “She admitted the offences at the first opportunity and it took almost 13 months to charge her.

She’s been trying to get her life together “This was a lesser role and involved coercion and intimidation. She had no influence on those above her in the chain.”

Bex was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days, the thinking skills programme and community treatment requirement.

Judge Ian Graham told Bex she had a lesser role and limited function.

She was sentenced last Friday at Basildon Crown Court.

On the same day and court David Peacock, 43, of Fowler Close, Southend was jailed for six years and six months for GBH with intent and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

These offences took place on a different day to the drugs charges and he was found with two wraps of cocaine.