Judge 'in no doubt' laundering mum and girlfriend knew business of wanted Leeds drug dealer
Pair spared custody only due to relaxed sentencing law
The mother and girlfriend of a wanted drug dealer have avoided immediate custody, but the judge said the both clearly knew about his dealings.
Paulette Shand and Erika Budreviciute helped launder more than £100,000 of money for L’Mel Harding, Leeds Crown Court heard.
Harding is wanted by West Yorkshire Police and remains on the run.
But 63-year-old Shand and 27-year-old Budreviciute had helped to “clean” his ill-gotten gains. Budreviciute even flew abroad several times to meet up with him in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
When she was arrested after flying back to the UK, she had a £7,000 Rolex watch, designer clothes and an expensive wallet on her.
Shand and Budreviciute admitted counts of conspiracy to acquire criminal property between 2019 and 2022 and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Handing them suspended sentences, Judge Kate Rayfield told Harding’s mother, Shand: “I have no doubt you knew your son was dealing Class-A drugs and needed help laundering money made in that business.
“But I accept it would have been hard to say ‘no’ to your own son.”
Addressing Budreviciute, she added: “I accept there would have been a power imbalance and found it hard to resist requests made by him. Your young age would have contributed.
“However, I have no doubt you knew he was involved in Class-A drug dealing. He could not hide that from you entirely.
“You benefited more than Shand and received expensive designer goods and holidays funded by an industry that shatters the lives of others.
“I do not accept you did not appreciate the extent of it.”
She told her the life of drugs is a “million miles from Rodeo Drive” - the luxury shopping district in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
The court heard the pair received huge sums of cash and then deposited it into Harding’s accounts.
Budreviciute had also initially flown to Malaga in Spain in 2021 with Harding when police wanted to arrest him.
But the 30-year-old he is now wanted in connection with eight new offences, including multiple drug-dealing charges and one for possessing a firearm.
Shand would receive cash deliveries to her address and would also transfer money to Harding or to Budreviciute.
Around £50,000 was deposited into her account.
Budreviciute had a similar role, receiving £55,000, and would often spend it on luxury items for her and Harding, including holidays.
Harding left the UK in 2021.
Shand, of Green Pasture Close, Osmondthorpe, has 59 previous convictions for 118 offences, many of which are for shoplifting and stealing.
Mitigating on her behalf, Zacharias Micah said Shand had grown up in care having been abandoned at the age of four.
He said she was also a victim of domestic violence in a relationship that was so severe that Mr Micah said it was “extraordinary that she survived”.
He said she lives in a council property and works as a cleaner, which remains open to her.
Budreviciute, of Atkinson Street, Hunslet, has no previous convictions.
Mitigating, Abdul Latif-Shakoor said she had been young and naïve at the time.
He said she accepted responsibility, “exhibited remorse” and had not offended since.
Judge Rayfield gave them both a 30-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Under the old system, only sentences of 24 months or less could be suspended, but this was extended to sentences of 36 months in March.
They were also each given 200 hours of community service, while Budreviciute received a mental health treatment requirement.