Drug supply mum says £1,700 seized in raid was for headstone for son killed on A38
Lee Skeldon
Lee Skeldon
The mother of man killed in a car crash on the A38 has admitted intent to supply drugs after a raid on her home but says the cash police seized was towards a headstone for her son.
Tanya Skeldon, 45, of River View, Saltash, has been fined after admitting possession of cannabis with intent to supply following a drugs raid on her home.
Police found drugs, scales, mobile phones, paraphernalia and £1,700 at the house.
Skeldon admitted intent to supply drugs, but said the cash was for her son's grave
Lee Skeldon died in a car crash aged 27 in 2013.
The £1,700 has been forfeited because of a lack of evidence to support the claim, the court heard.
A total of 73.35g of cannabis, along with cash, mobile phones, scales and other drug paraphernalia were found at Skeldon's address, the court was told.
She pleaded guilty to the charge and her partner, 36-year-old Shaun Trebilcock, of the same address, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis. Both appeared before the court on Thursday.
Alison May, for the prosecution, said that the items including a notebook, resealable bags, and individually wrapped bags of the Class B drug were found on October 17 last year when police raided the address.
Skeldon admitted in an interview that she was selling cannabis and recorded who owed her what in the seized notebook. She said she used the money she made to pay back cannabis debts and for food and clothing.
A total of £1,700 was seized. Trebilcock admitted possession of cannabis for personal use. Both had previous convictions for cannabis offences.
Tracey Baker, for the defence, said that Skeldon bought the cannabis in bulk and only sold to family and friends.
She was not street dealing and the operation was not for commercial gain.
Probation officer Tony Ciocci said that Skeldon had previously been subject to a community order but this had been revoked following a deterioration in her mental health following the death of her son. She had reviewed her lifestyle at the start of the new year and had given up cannabis.
Skeldon was fined £70 with £45 costs and a £20 victim surcharge and Trebilcock was fined £35 with £40 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
An inquest into the deaths of Lee Skeldon and his front seat passenger, Christopher Williams was held in July last year.
It heard how Lee was behind the wheel of a BMW 318 when it swerved across the A38 at Whity Cross, near Saltash, and hit a wall.
The inquest was told he had 170 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – the limit being 80. He also had traces of cannabis in his system. Christopher's toxicology report was negative.
The court heard how they had come home from a night out in Saltash and wanted to go to a party in Liskeard. The inquest concluded that they both died as a result of a road traffic collision.
Their deaths were also highlighted in a campaign by Devon and Cornwall Police to reduce road deaths and serious injuries on the A38.
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