Addict reported by mother is sentenced

Maria and Barney Austin with their daughter Louise

A Wrexham woman - reported to the police by her mother - has been ordered to complete a 12 month rehabilitation order for possessing drugs.

Maria Austin, from the village of Bersham, turned her daughter in after she found her preparing syringes of amphetamine in the room next to her nine-year-old son.

Jones has been handed a rehabilitation order

Mother-of-two Emma Louise Jones, from Penycae, had used drugs including heroin, amphetamine and cannabis for two years.

Jones has been living at a bail hostel on Merseyside after admitted possessing Class A and Class B drugs at an earlier hearing.

She has been undergoing a rehabilitation programme and Mrs Austin said she has made progress.

"She speaks to me now on the telephone and says that she's going to get her own house and get her two children back," she said.

On Wednesday Wrexham magistrates sent Jones back to the hostel until a place can be found in a unit nearer her home.

Her drugs habit had led to her losing her house and her children, who were handed over to be cared for by relatives.

The 27-year-old attended drugs counselling but could not give up heroin and spent her time living between her mother's home and sleeping rough.

I had to ask my husband three times to phone them, he had the phone in his hand and said 'Are you sure you want to do this?' and I said I've never been more sure in my life

Maria Austin

Before the hearing on Wednesday Mrs Austin told BBC Wales handing her daughter to the police had been a traumatic experience but she did not regret it.

"She begged me one day would I lock her up and that's what I did and I kept her from her friends," she said.

"She came to live with us but she was stealing money, jewellery, all kinds of things from us for the heroin.

"My husband shouted me at four o' clock in the morning and said Louise was doing something.

"I went in the bedroom and she'd filled two needles, I shouted at her and I got the police.

"I had to ask my husband three times to phone them, he had the phone in his hand and said 'Are you sure you want to do this?' and I said I've never been more sure in my life.

"She called us every name under the sun and I cried all week but now she thanks me," said Mrs Austin.