Privately educated drug dealer spared jail as it would 'blight' her career

Lawyer for Poppy Murray claims the stress of the case damaged her skin 

Saturday 15 October 2016 11:08 BST
Poppy Murray attended the £10,000 a year St Bedes Roman Catholic College in Manchester
Poppy Murray attended the £10,000 a year St Bedes Roman Catholic College in Manchester

A privately educated drug dealer has been spared jail while her lawyer claimed the stress of the case damaged her skin.

Poppy Murray, a 22-year-old undergraduate, helped her younger brother Joel, 19, sell recreational narcotics in Manchester.

She worked as a go-between and would provide drugs to her friends that her brother supplied.

Police arrested the pair after a raid on their family home in Middleton, Greater Manchester following a tip-off.

Conversations were found on their phones discussing deals and MDMA tablets and cannabis were located on the property.

Appearing in Minshull Street Crown Court, Joel Murray and Poppy Murray pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine.

Joel was handed a seven-year prison sentence, while Poppy received a suspended sentence and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Murray’s defence lawyer, Richard English, said she did not think she was doing anything morally wrong.

"Using recreational drugs as students is not exceptional - in fact it is unexceptional. Miss Murray did not see anything morally wrong with what she did. However, she now accepts plainly that it was wrong,” Mr English said, according to the Telegraph.

"The money was pooled and the drugs were shared. A prison sentence would be a punishment but it would do nothing but blight a very bright career. She is a very clever, ambitious and driven young lady," he added.

He also claimed she had started suffering from anxiety and eczema due to the case and had to drop out of her studies at Leeds University.

Murray is currently running a catering business while also studying events management at Manchester Metropolitan University.

She attended the £10,000 a year St Bedes Roman Catholic College in Manchester.

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