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Five years for lovestruck lawyer who hid gangster's heroin in her underwear
Last updated at 23:07pm on 08.05.07A trainee solicitor who fell for a violent gangster was caught smuggling drugs into prison for him in her boots and knickers.
Kate Dooley's fledgling career is in ruins after she admitted hiding heroin and cannabis worth £1,000 to give to 20-yearold armed robber Scott Jeffries.
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Kate Dooley, left, has ruined her career for Scott Jeffries, right
Jailing her for five years, Judge Adrian Smith said, "It is very distressing to see a young woman of your type and background facing a substantial period of imprisonment. You have lost just about everything you have been working for."
Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard that Dooley, 24, had been a trainee for 18 months at a firm of solicitors in Glossop, Derbyshire, when she met Jeffries at Forest Bank jail near Salford.
Jeffries, who was not a client of her firm, was awaiting trial for a series of armed robberies as well as a car chase in which a motorcycle policeman was knocked down.
Dooley became attracted to the career criminal and last December turned up at the jail to see him.
In a routine check, a sniffer dog detected drugs on her. Challenged by a police officer, she produced just over 8g of cannabis wrapped in clingfilm and foil from her right boot and another package containing more than 10g of heroin from her underwear.
She herself tested positive for cocaine use.
Dooley's barrister, Neil Usher, told the court, "She was attracted to Scott Jeffries - something her family have had difficulties coming to terms with, because of the kind of character he is.
"She was attempting to impress someone who was way out of her league.
"For some inexplicable reason she was tempted and threw away her career before it had even begun.
"The fall from qualified lawyer to convicted serving prisoner is nothing short of a tragedy."
Dooley, of Stalybridge, admitted possessing class A and C drugs with intent to supply.
Since her arrest, Jeffries has been jailed after admitting charges including conspiracy to rob, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, kidnap, false imprisonment, possessing drugs and witness intimidation.
He was given an indeterminate sentence but will not be considered for parole until he has served five years and four months.
Last month, the Daily Mail told how another solicitor, 31-year-old Daniela Scotece, was caught trying to smuggle cannabis to a client in her bra. She was jailed for 15 months.
Reader views (12)
Why is there the notion that the sentence is unfair? A conviction for supplying class A drugs is serious in itself, in addition this criminal was aiding a fellon and abusing a position of trust.
I witnessed at first hand a robbery similar to those carried out by her 'boyfriend', and let me tell you that if you were to see the sort of callous violence that these thugs are capable of dishing out, then there is no way you would want to be lenient on any of their helpers.
- Andy Deighton, Salford
I am not defending the girl's actions as I am sure she, of all people, was aware of the risks; but if you weigh her crime against the crimes that he was found guilty of. Considering they have both been given a similar sentence. His seems very lenient while hers seem un-necessarily harsh.
- Dan, Glossop
This is not the first time a professional female has succumbed in similar circumstances. This inexperienced young woman was required to interview criminals, on her own, without supervision or support whilst still a trainee solicitor. Perhaps the legal profession should wake up and put procedures in place to protect young women, in particular, from being isolated and lured by lifetime criminals with nothing themselves to lose. Experienced police and prison officers do not operate with these people singularly and for good reason. This young woman has been persuaded (manipulated, possibly threatened) into undertaking an action she knew to be wrong therefore she should be punished. However, the length of prison sentence given in these circumstances appears to be unnecessarily harsh especially given everything else that she has forfeited.
No crime is victimless but who is the victim here?
- Mem, UK
This sentence is absurd!
- Brandon Thomas, London
What a ridiculous sentence. The poor girl is obviously not a hardened criminal so why sentence her as one? She will serve at least two and a half years in jail - that's a proper criminal's sentence. It could ruin her life when clearly with a first offender such as her, the priority should be to get her life back on the road. She was just a fool for "love", from what we read, and as other have said she won't be the first young solicitor to have been exposed to this kind of situation (I am a solicitor myself although have never personally fallen for an armed robber). I hope she gets that sentence halved (or more) on appeal. Absolute travesty.
- Matt, London, UK
Sounds like she has got all the qualities the legal profession needs or do people really think that solicitors are honest hard working folk?
- Fred, Dubai
I represent criminal clients on a daily basis, there is nothing that would persuade me to do something so illegal and stupid. These people only care about themselves, they would sell their Mothers to the devil. The sentence should act as a deterent and a warning to other persons to value their freedom. Drugs in prisons ruin lives and families. This young lady has caused so much pain an anguish to her own family. She wasted her time and her families investment in her.
- Patricia, London
Clearly not so much a "trainee solicitor" as another fully-trained drugs mule!
- Steve R, London, UK
This sentence seems ludicrous, why 5 years for someone who clearly was a first time offendor and just caught up with the wrong crowd - I would have thought a suspended sentence would be enough, especially with her losing her career.
- Greg, London
Kate is not the first trainee solicitor to succumb to this situation which highlights there is a lack of support and supervision for women coming into prisons to hold one-to-one interviews with convicts. You would not expect a police officer fresh on the force to be put in these situations so why are trainee solicitors? Kate knows she has done wrong and I feel a sentence of 5 years is extremely harsh. Especially when, in the same week, the mother of a toddler who died when she gave him Class A drugs was sentenced to just two! This seems unfair.
- Adam Dooley, Manchester England
Looking at the pictures they're a match made in Heaven (or prison at the very least).
- Trevor Roll, London
I knew Kate for about 3 years and this is a girl who needs help, not a 5 year jail sentence. She just got in with a bad crowd which is a shame because she had a bright future ahead of her.
- Cropper, Abingdon, UK
