The woman stopped at Manchester airport had 30 kilograms of cannabis

A woman who was caught with 30kg of cannabis at Manchester Airport has been given a suspended sentence.

Monique Zollner, 21, was stopped by authorities after flying into the city from Canada via Frankfurt. Zollner later told officers she owed her mother a lot of money and had taken the job through an associate so he could pay her off.

A judge said that because Zollner had suffered two “major and traumatic” incidents in her life, which were not disclosed in open court, he could suspend the prison sentence, MEN reports.

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On April 13 this year, Manchester Crown Court was told that Zollner was stopped at the airport with a large quantity of the class B drug. She has since pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent circumvention of an import ban of cannabis.

Mitigating, Adam Roxborough said his client had “self-medicated” with nitrous oxide following a number of major life events. Mr Roxborough continued: “She was not the organizer of this enterprise.

“She is well aware that this offense carries a custodial sentence, but there is a concern about whether she will be remanded in custody immediately. She takes steps to address her addictions. She is someone who has been taken advantage of and has had a difficult life.”

He argued that the judge could suspend an inevitable prison sentence, saying it was an “exceptional case”, adding that his client had stayed out of trouble since the offence.

Sentencing Zollner, who cried throughout, Judge Sarah Johnston said she was a “young and vulnerable woman” who had suffered greatly from two incidents in her life which she described as “huge and traumatic “.

She said: “Much of the harm these courts see comes from the illegal drug trade. You are carrying 30 kilograms of cannabis, without your role the crime would not have been committed.”

Giving him a suspended sentence, she said Zollner did not pose a risk to the public and had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. Zollner, of Congleton Avenue, Fallowfield, received an 18-month prison sentence, which was suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 60 hours of unpaid work and a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

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