A WOMAN, previously convicted for converting criminal property, was handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a further count of the offence.

Victoria Phelps, 33, of Mount Bax, Newport, appeared at Newport Crown Court, where she pleaded guilty to converting criminal property in the form of cash between March 12 and August 13 last year.

The cash was used by Phelps to buy a Ford S-Max vehicle.

The court heard the offence was linked to a conviction of Phelps in February last year when she was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years for four counts of converting criminal property and one count of concealing criminal property.

Prosecuting, Christian Jowett said these charges had arisen after Phelps’ partner Christopher O’Flaherty had committed the offence of conspiracy to supply amphetamine.

Following the sentence, a confiscation order was also made where Phelps was ordered to pay back £12,000 after benefitting by £32,282.

Mr Jowett told the court that in mid 2012, Phelps purchased a Ford S-Max vehicle of which she became the registered keeper on June 18 last year.

He said the vehicle came to the police’s attention when they carried out a search of the home on August 30.

Aware of Phelps’ previous convictions and knowing she had little access to save money, they interviewed her.

She told police she had bought the vehicle paying a £500 deposit and a £300 instalment.

She was interviewed again on September 7 where she maintained she’d paid for the car and said it was valued at around £6,000.

In her third interview on September 26, she had made no comment.

Representing Phelps, Jane Rowley said Phelps had obeyed a curfew order which had been made as part of the sentence given in February last year.

Sentencing, Recorder Peter Rouch QC said the matter was very closely linked to the other matter from February last year.

He sentenced her to two months imprisonment suspended for 12 months.