A 42-year-old woman has admitted being involved in money laundering after she tried to send £5,000 cash in the post.

Lisa Kim Barnett was arrested after a package intended for an address in Walton, Liverpool, was intercepted at the Post Office sorting office.

It was found to contain a box of Milk Tray chocolates with £5,000 in cash hidden in the bottom of the box.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to remove criminal property from the island and will be sentenced on January 22 next year after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police were called to the sorting office on June 11.

A package addressed to a woman in Walton was deemed suspicious and when opened police found the cash hidden inside.

CCTV footage was viewed which showed Barnett posting the package at the post office in Strand Street, Douglas.

The post office was said to have received two emails inquiring where the package was and saying that the cash was for a puppy.

The woman who it was addressed to said that she had only been expecting to receive £500.

When interviewed, Barnett told police she had been receiving threatening phone calls from a ’Scouser’ saying that her son owed him £5,000.

She said the calls became more and more threatening so she decided to send the money.

Barnett, who lives in Marathon Road, Douglas, said she would have travelled and delivered the cash herself but for the Covid restrictions.

She said that the scouser who called never said what the money was for but she believed it was a drug debt as her son was currently in prison.

Prosecutor Mr Swain said that the case would have to be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery as a confiscation order in relation to the money could only be made at the higher court.

Defence advocate Jane Gray asked for a probation report to be completed before sentencing.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction with chair Gill Eaton saying that they would have committed the case anyway, regardless of the confiscation order.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 with conditions that Barnett reside at her home address and contact probation.