Drug-dealing mother jailed

Ecstasy was among the drugs seized by police

A drug-dealing mother of five has been jailed after being trapped in a police sting operation.

Amanda Denholm was caught when detectives went undercover to set up a bogus hardware store in Walker, Newcastle, as part of Operation Hard Hit.

Officers used the covert base to infiltrate a major supply ring - and discovered the she was a key player.

Denholm was jailed for 11 years at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday.

Dawn raids

The drugs ring, whose members were jailed for a total of 47 years, sold cocaine, ecstasy, and cannabis.

In the surveillance operation dealers were monitored regularly supplying cocaine worth thousands of pounds and ecstasy in 1,000-tablet batches.

Mrs Denholm was finally arrested during a dawn raid.

The 38-year-old, from Newcastle, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

'Great regret'

Sentencing her, Judge Guy Whitburn said: "It is with great regret that I sentence a mother with five children to a long and substantial prison sentence.

"But you are one of the reasons police operations like these have been set up."

Superintendent Kelvin Wilson of Northumbria Police, said: "Operation Hard Hit has thrown down the gauntlet to the criminals who think they can earn money out of the misery of others."