£500k drug dealer's sister cleared over gun find

But the Wolverhampton Crown Court jury was unable to reach a verdict on a third charge accusing Simone Nash of possession of over £60,000 that was the proceeds of crime.

The Crown Prosecution Service have until December 20 to decide whether to seek a retrial on the outstanding matter.

The 33-year-old medical secretary did not dispute that a gun, ammunition and the money were found when armed police raided her two bedroom flat on May 27.

The weapon and bullets were in a bag at the bottom of an Ottoman box while the money was in a safe in a bedroom cupboard.

The early morning swoop in Waterside, Parkfield came as officers discovered a £500,000 stash of heroin, cocaine and cannabis at the Stanley Road, Bushbury home of her 23-year-old brother Jerome Nash.

She maintained he had a key to the flat and it was an 'open household' where he could come and go as he wished. His passport and bank card were also found at the flat.

The ignition key for a Range Rover - registered to Simone - was found in the same bag as the keys to the safe. The car was parked outside the premises but the shoes and coats inside the vehicle belonged to Jerome. She said that her brother used this vehicle while she drove an elderly BMW.

Rashid Mohammed, defending the mother of one, insisted: "She was somebody who had settled down. Her brother used her property without her knowledge to further his own ends."

Earlier in the case Teresa Shaw, the girlfriend of Jerome Nash and his long time pal Daniel Poplin were both cleared of possession of drugs with intent to supply.

Jerome Nash has admitted possession of a pistol, five rounds of ammunition, heroin, cocaine, base cocaine and cannabis, all with intent, and will be sentenced at a later date.