A Douglas woman who sold cannabis has been handed a suspended sentence.

Rafaela Filipa Monteiro Ramos was arrested after police analysed a mobile phone belonging to someone else.

She appeared before magistrates on Tuesday, June 24, entering a guilty plea to being concerned in the supply of the class B drug.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that, in November 2024, a male was arrested regarding an unrelated matter.

His phone was analysed and police found two messages from Ramos, discussing purchasing drugs.

A warrant was executed at her home on January 22 and she was subsequently arrested.

When interviewed, the 25-year-old initially denied the messages were related to drugs.

However, she attended a second interview, and then admitted purchasing cannabis, and arranging to sell it on to others at a rate of £20 per gram.

A probation report said that she had done so because she had been in financial difficulties.

The court heard the defendant has no previous convictions.

Advocate Stephen Wood, representing Ramos, said that the supply of drugs had been limited, which was highlighted by the fact that no confiscation order had been sought for any money.

Mr Wood said that the probation report had assessed his client as a low risk of reoffending.

He also asked magistrates to take into account Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to Ramos’s child, which safeguards the right to maintain family relationships.

Mr Wood went on to say that financial pressures had meant that the defendant was disappearing down a well of despair, which had led to her offending.

He said that Ramos, who lives at Farvane Park, had now found work, which meant that her financial situation had improved.

Magistrates sentenced the defendant to 26 weeks’ custody, suspended for a year, and put her under a 12 month supervision order.

She will also pay prosecution costs of £125.