Model 'caught with £627,000 worth of cocaine in her Mercedes'

A model caught with £627,250 worth of cocaine hidden in her Mercedes was orchestrating a big money drugs deal, a court has heard.

Kelly Askew was driving the car when undercover police pulled her over and found two blocks of cocaine, weighing almost 2kg.

The 30-year-old blamed her partner, passenger John Clayton, and claimed he told her not to be 'nosy' about the purpose of their journey.



Model criminal: Unemployed sleepwear model Kelly Askew has been jailed

Greater Manchester police stopped the car on the A666, in Bolton, at around 7.30pm on June 11 and found the drugs in a green plastic bag in the passenger footwell.



She told officers she knew nothing about the package and in later police interviews claimed she often drove Clayton from place to place because he was banned from driving.

She claimed Clayton had told her not to be 'nosy' when she asked about the purpose of the trip to Yorkshire.

Police had watched as Askew, who is currently unemployed, parked up into a country lane near Bradford, where a man in his 20s, dressed in a shell suit, walked to the car and started talking to her partner.

Geoff Whelan, prosecuting, told Bolton Court that Askew, then drove off to head towards the M62, seemingly heading back to Liverpool.

When the car was pulled over, Clayton got out and tried to walk away but was stopped by officers, who then told Askew to stay in the car.

Mr Whelan said Askew was receiving income support of £260 a fortnight, housing benefit, child benefit and tax credits, and Clayton was also on state benefits.

He added on 'rare occasions', Askew did 'a bit of modelling', adding the Mercedes C220 cost £12,000.

Mr Whelan said: 'That is a pretty reasonable car for someone in her position, with young children and on state benefits.'

The court also heard a black and pink Nokia mobile phone seized from the car linked Askew to the allegations of drug dealing with Clayton, who has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Mr Whelan said the crown did not believe she was a 'gullible taxi driver'.

He said: 'Any claims she has of ignorance are simply self-serving lies in order to distance herself from the evidence of her involvement.'

Mother-of-two Askew has previously appeared in newspaper fashion shoots, modelling sleepwear in a department store.

She has also modelled wedding dresses, and in 2002, successfully auditioned to be part of a new Liverpool-based girl band.

Askew is charged with possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. She has pleaded not guilty.

The trial continues.

