Former Kirkham beautician jailed after being arrested at Manchester Airport while trying to flee to Spain
A Lancashire beautician arrested at Manchester Airport trying to flee to Spain has been sent to prison by a judge in Preston.
Sophie Mortimer, who was apprehended as she tried to board a flight to Alicante, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin.
The former Kirkham beautician appeared on a video link from prison along with her ex-boyfriend Daniel Burrows who admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.
Mortimer, 29, of Rogerson Avenue, Kirkham, was jailed for a year. Burrows, 31, of no fixed address, was sent to prison for 40 months.
Prosecuting barrister Claire Larton said Mortimer’s involvement had been “low level” and had only lasted one day. But Burrows’ role had been more significant.
In August last year plain clothes police on duty in the centre of Blackpool observed Burrows with another man outside Sainsbury’s in Talbot Road. They both got into a car and seconds later got out having made an exchange.
Both were searched and Burrows was found to be in possession of 10 wraps of cocaine. He told them he was just a user and was arrested.
He said he was staying at the Barron’s Hotel in Hornby Road where the manager told officers he had only checked in the previous evening.
Mortimer was discovered in the his room along with a rucksack containing a quantity of drugs, drug paraphernalia and mobile phones. She said she was unaware what “Danny” had in his luggage, although some of it was on display.
An examination of her phone found messages showing she was aware of what he had been doing. Both were interviewed and both gave “no comment” answers to all questions.
Burrows’ criminal record showed he had spent two spells in prison – 30 months for possession with intent to supply drugs and five years for possession of a firearm.
Mortimer also had previous convictions, one in 2025 for possession of a bladed article for which she was in breach of a suspended sentence.
Barrister Lahraib Iqbal, for Burrows, said he had recently become homeless following the breakdown of a relationship. He could not work because of a knee injury and was on benefits.
This had led to a decline in his mental health, so he took comfort in using cocaine and had a habit costing £50 a day. That had led to him supplying drugs.
She said he was remorseful and realised the impact drugs had on people, families and the wider community.
“He has been battling with drugs over a number of years. Over recent times he has lost a number of friends by suicide. But his head is in a much clearer state and he is no longer taking any drugs and is keen to enter into counselling.”
Mortimer’s barrister Anthony Parkinson said his client had a “completely chaotic set of personal circumstances”. Her recent history, he said, was “a sad one”.
She had left school with qualifications and had launched a hair and beauty salon, but it had been impacted by the Covid pandemic in 2020 and eventually went under.
“She developed a drug use soon after the business started to fail. She started a relationship with another man who used drugs. She started taking heroin and crack cocaine.”
He said Mortimer had met Burrows through drugs. She was a customer which turned into a short-term relationship. She admitted putting him into contact with a friend of hers for drugs.
Judge Maher told Burrows: “You came to dealing as a result of homelessness and mobility issues because of a knee injury. You are now said to be clean of drugs.”
And he said to Mortimer: “You previously had a good job but a series of bad relationships introduced you to drugs which had a dreadful effect on your life.
“Your criminality (in this case) was confined to just one day. But the problem is you were stopped twice by police with cocaine in your system. Drugs had taken a grip of your life.”
He ordered that the drugs, equipment and cash found in their possession should all be confiscated.