by Jenni Horn

A cleaner from Gillingham has been jailed for three years for smuggling drugs worth more than £300,000 into Heathrow Airport.

Katherine Lennard, 20, of Milburn Road, was found carrying two kilos of cocaine when she was stopped by HM Revenue and Customs at terminal 3 on May 10.

She was returning from Costa Rica, via Madrid, and claimed she had been on a shopping trip for baby clothes.

Officers searched her baggage and found the drugs worth around £362,000, hidden in the bases of both her suitcases.

Lennard, who was 19 at the time, declined to answer any questions during an interview with customs officials but, the following day, pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine into the UK. She was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday.

His Honour Judge Colgan said: “This was a commercial importation of a Class A drug, namely just over 2 kilograms of cocaine at 100 per cent purity. Those caught must expect to go to prison. I accept that you were only a courier and had no part in the organisation of this importation. You were 19 years old at the time of the offence and of previous good character.”

Peter Avery, HM Revenue and Customs assistant director of criminal investigation, said: “Criminals should be aware that our investigations don’t just focus on those drugs mules attempting to bring illegal substances into the UK. We also target those that finance and mastermind such criminality.

“We will continue to work closely with our UK Border Agency colleagues to route out these criminals. Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activity should contact the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”