A Dunedin drug dealer who continued selling even after her initial arrest has been jailed for nearly five years.
Amber Renee Stringer (33) appeared before the Dunedin District Court last week on a range of offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
They included multiple counts of selling and offering to sell class-C substance cannabis, offering to supply MDMA and Ritalin; and several of possessing, supplying and offering class-A methamphetamine.
A police summary stated that in January, officers received information about Stringer dealing in Otago and an investigation commenced.
Stringer also pleaded guilty to using a document for a pecuniary advantage.
On January 21, the court heard how she and her partner went to the home of a 63-year-old man and asked him to help them celebrate Stringer's birthday.
According to court records her real birthday is in August.
The victim agreed and the group drank heavily.
When the man passed out, the defendants executed their plan, taking his bank card and leaving the property.
Over the following days Stringer and her partner made 61 transactions using the card, totalling $19,203.
When spoken to by police, Stringer said it was her co-defendant who had used the card but she accepted it was her idea.
She was arrested on January 24 when police went to a George St property.
Stringer arrived with her boyfriend and police found $4000 cash, as well as cannabis and P in her possession.
She told police the drugs belonged to her partner and that she had been helping facilitate sales because he was unfamiliar with the area.
Stringer did not turn up to court for her scheduled appearance in February and court documents show she continued selling drugs despite her arrest.
Eventually the woman made a voluntary appearance in court on March 28.
She told police she had been intimidated into the continued dealing of the illicit substances.
Defence counsel Andrew More said all of his client's actions were fuelled by her own addictions but her prospects of rehabilitation were good.
Judge Kevin Phillips said Stringer had a ``limited'' criminal history but no money to repay the victims of her offending.
She was jailed for four years 10 months.
