pub landlady has been jailed after she was caught in a drugs raid on her premises.
Denise Newman threw two wraps of cocaine into a bin as police stormed the Mill House in Portslade.
Undercover detectives had been watching the pub in Mill Lane as part of an investigation into alleged drug dealing.
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Newman, 45, and others were arrested on July 28, last year,as part of the operation.
She has since lost everything, a judge at Hove Crown Court heard today.
She has lost the pub, her license, and is bankrupt and £60,000 in debt.
Newman, who now lives in Mitcham, Surrey, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine.
She was given a six month prison sentence but walked free from court because she had already served five months on remand.
David Scutt, prosecuting, said police had been keeping watch on the activities of a suspected drugs dealer.
He had been seen allegedly dealing to another person at the pub before the raid took place.
Mr Scutt said: "A drugs warrant was executed at the Mill House at 11am on July 28, 2006.
"Denise Newman was stopped in the process of disposing of drugs in a kitchen bin.
"Police recovered those drugs which were in a plastic box.
"There were two bags of 51 per cent pure cocaine weighing 1.33grammes.
"In a suite bag in another room police found a spoon and some self-seal bags.
"Newman said that the drugs were hers for her own use.
"She said that money found in other rooms was legitimate money from the pub.
"She said she had run the pub for five years but as far as she knew there was no drug-related activity going on there."
The court heard that Newman had no previous convictions before her arrest.
Rowan Jenkins, defending, said: "Denise Newman has lost everything.
"The lease on the pub has now been given to someone else.
"She had borrowed £60,000 to buy the lease and is working hard to pay that debt off.
"When the police entered the pub and told her they were looking for drugs she told them there were two bags of cocaine in the bin.
"She said they were for her own personal use and pleaded guilty to possession at the first opportunity.
"She has paid a very high price for her own stupidity."
Judge Cedric Joseph told Newman that although the wraps were worth about £100 possessing cocaine was a serious offence.
3:02pm today
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Denise Newman threw two wraps of cocaine into a bin as police stormed the Mill House in Portslade.
Undercover detectives had been watching the pub in Mill Lane as part of an investigation into alleged drug dealing.
advertisement
Newman, 45, and others were arrested on July 28, last year,as part of the operation.
She has since lost everything, a judge at Hove Crown Court heard today.
She has lost the pub, her license, and is bankrupt and £60,000 in debt.
Newman, who now lives in Mitcham, Surrey, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine.
She was given a six month prison sentence but walked free from court because she had already served five months on remand.
David Scutt, prosecuting, said police had been keeping watch on the activities of a suspected drugs dealer.
He had been seen allegedly dealing to another person at the pub before the raid took place.
Mr Scutt said: "A drugs warrant was executed at the Mill House at 11am on July 28, 2006.
"Denise Newman was stopped in the process of disposing of drugs in a kitchen bin.
"Police recovered those drugs which were in a plastic box.
"There were two bags of 51 per cent pure cocaine weighing 1.33grammes.
"In a suite bag in another room police found a spoon and some self-seal bags.
"Newman said that the drugs were hers for her own use.
"She said that money found in other rooms was legitimate money from the pub.
"She said she had run the pub for five years but as far as she knew there was no drug-related activity going on there."
The court heard that Newman had no previous convictions before her arrest.
Rowan Jenkins, defending, said: "Denise Newman has lost everything.
"The lease on the pub has now been given to someone else.
"She had borrowed £60,000 to buy the lease and is working hard to pay that debt off.
"When the police entered the pub and told her they were looking for drugs she told them there were two bags of cocaine in the bin.
"She said they were for her own personal use and pleaded guilty to possession at the first opportunity.
"She has paid a very high price for her own stupidity."
Judge Cedric Joseph told Newman that although the wraps were worth about £100 possessing cocaine was a serious offence.
3:02pm today
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