A Bexleyheath mum admitted dealing cocaine but denied an accusation that she took one of her young kids with her to a drug deal.
Hannah Sims, 29, received a suspended prison sentence on Friday (July 30) after she pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Prosecutor Simon Foster said the mum was first arrested in January 2025 after she was the driver for Alexander Emmerich and Stephen Hand as they carried out armed robberies in Belvedere and Swanscombe.
A jury cleared Sims of conspiracy to commit robbery after she testified that she did not know that the two men were robbing the shops.
But during the investigation into those offences, police found incriminating messages between Sims, Emmerich, and Hand about drug dealing.
Mr Foster said Emmerich was heavily involved in the supply of cocaine, and he enlisted Sims and Hand to deal it to users on his behalf.
“A phone attributed to Ms Sims was found in her car. On it messages revealed that Mr Emerich used her as a dealer of cocaine. He recruited her on December 16, 2024, as she needed money,” Mr Foster said.
Sims was involved in the operation for a total of six weeks. She was to receive £10 for each delivery, though she said she never received that payment.
Mr Foster alleged that on one occasion, Sims took her youngest child with her as she delivered drugs.
This allegation was based on a message which followed a discussion about a drug deal, in which Sims stated “I’ll take [the child] with me”.
But Matthew Kirk, representing Sims, claimed the message had been taken out of context and related to wider childcare arrangements with Emmerich, with whom she was in a sexual relationship.
“It is absolutely not accepted that any of the children were present for any drug handover,” Mr Kirk said.
In mitigation, Mr Kirk provided references testifying that Sims was a great mum to her kids.
Judge Martin Yale said that while he had his suspicions, he could not be sure to the criminal standard that Sims had taken a child with her to a drug deal.
The judge commented that Emmerich was clearly the dominant figure in their relationship, which may have led to her involvement in his drug dealing operation.
“The reality of the relationship was that you were a weak figure under Mr Emmerich’s control. "I accept that you were involved through weakness, naivety, and immaturity,” Judge Yale said.
He sentenced her to two years in prison but suspended the sentence for two years, meaning she will not see the inside of a cell unless she offends again during that time.
She will be required to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Yale said: “Be in no doubt, supplying class A drugs is an extremely serious offence. As you now appreciated, class A drugs do untold damage to their users and to the local community.
“However, there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in the community.”
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