A WOMAN who was caught with £800 of cocaine hidden behind the skirting board in her kitchen was yesterday jailed for five years.

At the High Court in Glasgow 38-year-old Charlene Gallagher, who has 37 previous convictions, including six for drug offences, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine at her home in Balbeggie Street, Glasgow, on December 6, last year.

Police searched her home at 6.50am and found a purse containing £260 in notes in the bedroom.

Prosecutor Mark Maguire said: “Behind a skirting board in the kitchen officers recovered a polythene bag containing a white rock substance. Forensic analysis revealed that this was semi-compressed cocaine.”

Police experts said that the value of the drug was £800 and added that it was excessive for personal sale and was more consistent with being for onward sale of supply.

Defence counsel John McElroy told the court that Gallagher began taking drugs at 17 to help her cope with the death of a friend.

He added: “Her DNA and fingerprints were not on the drugs. She allowed them to be stored there. She shouldn’t have allowed her house to be used this way and bitterly regrets it.”

Judge Lord Arthurson said: “This could have been prosecuted at sheriff court level, but for your previous convictions for drug offences.”

Gallagher appeared in court via a video link.