Walsall mother was cocaine courier to pay for son's PlayStation 4

Syreeta Croydon handed over two bags of the Class A drug the size of a golf ball at Bloxwich Police Station following arrest for a separate matter.

A search of her car found two smaller bags of cocaine.

Appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, she sobbed in the dock having already pleaded guilty to possession of the drug with intent to supply at an earlier hearing.

She admitted to the charge on the basis she was not a drug dealer, but was acting as a courier and had been given the drugs and a mobile phone. This was accepted by the prosecution.

Mr David Lees, prosecutor, said: "The defendant said she was only doing this to get £600 to get her son a Playstation 4 for Christmas."

Croydon, 35, of Cartbridge Walk in Coalpool, Walsall, was given 16 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

She was also given a supervision requirement for 12 months and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Lees said Croydon, who has three children aged 12, eight and two, was taken to the police station after being stopped in her car on December 8 at about 3pm.

While in the holding area of the station she gave to officers two red and white bags, which contained a total of 55 grams of cocaine with a street value of £3,360.

The drugs in the car were in pre-wrapped bags, one was worth £40, the other £20.

Mr Lees said: "The defendant was interviewed about what had been found. She accepted the vehicle stopped was hers, but declined to answer questions at all."

Mr Nayan Patel, defending, said: "She is 35 years of age, no real previous convictions - this has been quite a stressful experience and she accepts the gravity of the offence.

"She was at a low ebb, her partner left her and she had three children.

"She had taken Class A drugs and then fell into the trap of trying to make some money. When she was stopped she handed the drugs over."

He added: "She has learnt a valuable lesson in last few months."

Judge Nicholas Webb said: "You acted as a courier. The facts indicate you were given drugs and a mobile phone to deliver for work to be paid £600.

"You have three children and are the main carer of them. The circumstances are that you started using cocaine because of stress in your personal life.

"You are trying to address the problem."