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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Andrew Bardsley

Partners in crime: The women who helped out drug dealer boyfriends

Whether it was being involved in drug dealing, lying to the police or wiring money to a fugitive, all these women ended up before a judge after becoming entangled in their boyfriends' crimes.

In some cases judges said the women had acted out of a misguided loyalty to their partners.

While others benefited from the proceeds of crime, enjoying luxuries including designer clothes, jewellery and expensive cars.

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Here, the Manchester Evening News looks back at cases where women have ended up in court after becoming involved in crime.

Jodie Bowie

Jodie Bowie (Facebook)

Bowie met Jonathan Walsh on Facebook, while he was serving a 14-year sentence for armed robbery.

After his release, Walsh, 33, headed a drugs gang which trafficked amphetamine and cannabis.

And Bowie, 32, later became involved in her boyfriend's cannabis racket, as well as laundering money for the gang.

The pair enjoyed luxuries from their drug dealing, including designer clothes, expensive jewellery, high-powered cars and cosmetic surgery appointments.

Jonathan Walsh (GMP)

Bowie was 'fearless when it came to spending money', Manchester Crown Court heard.

She even recruited her mum, dad, and brother to help with moving the cash generated by drugs after one of Walsh's couriers was arrested.

Throughout the year-long operation, Jodie told her parents and brother where to go, and to delete their messages.

Bowie, of Medlock Road, Failsworth, Manchester received a 21 months prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class B cannabis and money laundering last month.

Walsh, of Warwick Road, Failsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering and was found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device, and was jailed for 15 years.

Georgi Maddock

Georgi Maddock (M.E.N.)

Maddock ferried her drug dealer boyfriend around while he sold cocaine and cannabis.

The bank account of 'naive' Maddock, 22, was also used by Bradley Batey to deposit the proceeds from his drug dealing.

"Maddock would transport Batey around and she knew he was drug dealing," prosecutor Lisa Boocock told Manchester Crown Court last November.

Bradley Batey (GMP)

"But the monies paid into her bank account were withdrawn as cash for his benefit."

Batey spent the money on clothes, designer bags, jewellery and meals.

Maddock, a beautician, was said to have fallen under Batey's spell.

"You allowed yourself to become involved with drug dealing activities - being willing to guard the drugs at your home, drive him, deliver drugs and allowing your bank to be used for payments," the judge, Recorder Peter Cowan, told Maddock.

"I accept there is no chance you would have been involved if you had not met Mr Batey, but you can't have tried that hard to end your relationship."

Batey, of Roy Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply and was jailed for 16 months.

Maddock, of St James Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supplying of cocaine and cannabis and concealing criminal property and received a two-year sentence, suspended for two years.

Annie Webster

Annie Webster (Facebook/Liverpool Echo)

Webster sent more than £6,000 to her boyfriend, who was on the run after a gangland shooting.

Her then partner, drug dealer Shawn O'Malley, was in Dubai when she wired him the sum.

O'Malley was linked by police to a shooting in Bolton on September 2019, when a house was sprayed with bullets.

Shawn O'Malley (Liverpool Echo)

He had organised the shooting on behalf of Warrington criminal Leon Cullen, a court heard.

When police visited Webster's home in January 2020, she told them she had split from O'Malley in November 2019 and was no longer in contact with him.

During a search of her home, police recovered items including a Western Union Money Transfer Document in her name, an Emirates Economy Boarding Pass in her name, and a receipt for a Dubai based law firm.

Webster, of Cumberland Street, Warrington, pleaded guilty to concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property, and was sentenced to a two-year community order in January.

O'Malley was separately sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Zain Sarfraz

Zain Sarfraz (Manchester Evening News)

Sarfraz narrowly avoided a prison sentence after admitting to helping her boyfriend commit crime.

Sarfraz, 30, hired cars for her former partner and gave him cash to buy drugs to sell on.

She also lied to police, to cover for him after a drive-by shooting.

After the shooting, which her boyfriend is alleged to have been involved in, she told police didn't know the car, a Mercedes hired in her name, had been involved in a firearms incident.

But in an interview with police two weeks later, when she knew about the incident, she maintained her lie and claimed the car had been stolen.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Sarfraz, who runs a successful make up brand, was in 'love' with her boyfriend, and that she wanted them to get married.

"She put her loyalty to him above the requirements of the criminal law," prosecutor Alexandra Sutton said.

Sarfraz, of Hyde Park Road, Halifax, pleaded guilty to two counts of perverting the course of justice, and two counts of assisting the commission of an offence.

In a hearing earlier this month, the judge said he could avoid sending her to jail, as she had 'recognised her own stupidity' and rehabilitated herself.

Instead she received a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was fined £5,000.

Jamey-Leigh Brook-Parkinson

Brook-Parkinson was jailed in July last year for running her boyfriend's cocaine 'empire' while he was in prison.

Her partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, instructed her on how to operate the lucrative drug operation.

In messages uncovered by police, he told her how much money she should pay into bank accounts, where to pick up deals and even how to go about establishing a new business for when he was released.

In another message exchange the pair spoke of ‘building our empire’. She replied that they would ‘smash it’.

She spent money on designer clothes, and sent them to him in prison.

Brook-Parkinson, 27, from Swinton, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC told her: “You would not be in trouble today, or before this court if not for your relationship with him.

"What you did, I am certain, is you acted out of affection for him and loyalty to him, and he is a manipulative man.

"That having been said, looking at the evidence on the messaging, it showed a young woman volunteering herself in serious offending at a relatively high level in drugs."

To get the latest email updates from the Manchester Evening News, click here.

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