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Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Wales Online
Mum supplied cannabis from home she shared with 12 year-old son
Mum supplied cannabis from home she shared with 12 year-old son Thea Kassim was given a 'last chance' by a court A mother who supplied cannabis from home was told how destructive the drug is to society as she narrowly avoided prison. Thea Kassim was involved in selling cannabis to friends and family to fund her own habit, Newport Crown Court heard. When police searched the property they found two bags of cannabis weighing 6.95g, which the defendant accepted was hers, as well as an iPhone and more than £300 in cash. When the phone was searched it was found to contain messages with advertisements for the sale of cannabis and slang terms for weights including "HQ" for half a quarter of an ounce, Thursday's hearing was told. One message read out in court said: "I got to pick ounce up for my dad. If you want can pick up for you." Other references were made to "Cali pot", a strain of cannabis. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. "There is not naivete or exploitation in this case," Emma Harris, prosecuting, told the court. "This is a substantial weight. The defendant has a financial reward." David Pinnell, defending, said it was a "one-woman operation", that Kassim was funding her own habit and under pressure caring for her 12-year-old son and mother. He said his client was working hard to now curb her cannabis use. Article continues below While the 30 year-old had worked in the past as a crane driver, steel worker, and forklift driver the last year had been difficult with her son starting high school, he said. Kassim of Clyffard Crescent, Newport, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to intent to supply cannabis and and being concerned in the supply of cannabis between December 30, 2023, and April 30, 2023. Sentencing the mother-of-one to an 18-month community order to run concurrently on the two counts Recorder Andrew Hammond told her he was giving her "a last chance" and that the Class B drug was "not victimless". "The trade in cannabis is sometimes referred to as victimless. That's wrong. "It is at best short-sighted and ultimately self-centred to involve yourself in the trade of cannabis," the judge told Kassim. "Every day up and down the country people appear in courts because of violent crime made considerably worse by cannabis. That is the world you have chosen to be part of for reasons of financial gain and selfishness. "You say you were supplying only friends and family solely to fund your own use of cannabis. The prosecution say: 'Yes but look at the amounts referred to in text messages'. "You are largely involved to maintain your habit but did make some profit, falling short of significant gain." And he went on: "You were supplying drugs from premises where you had a child, which is an aggravating feature." He said he recognised Kassim had sole care of a 12-year-old son with some disabilities and cared for a mother with ill health too. He recognised she was engaging with drug services to try to cut back on her use of cannabis. "I am giving you an opportunity to carry on turning your life around. Look on it as a last chance," he told her. Kassim was also ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitation, and to pay £400 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £114. Article continues below Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
South Wales Argus
03-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Newport woman sold drugs to her friends and family
Former forklift driver and crane operator Thea Kassim, 30, from Newport was arrested after police raided her home Emma Harris, prosecuting, told the city's crown court how officers found an iPhone with messages offering cannabis for sale. They also seized two bags of the class B drug weighing 6.95g and £380.29 in cash. Miss Harris said: 'The messages downloaded from the phone advertising cannabis for sale are typical of street deals.' 'The defendant played a significant role with an expectation of financial gain. 'There is no naivety or exploitation in this case.' Kassim, of Clyffard Crescent, Newport admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of cannabis. She pleaded guilty on the basis that she only sold the class B drug to friends and family. This was accepted by the prosecution. The offences occurred between December 30, 2023 and April 30, 2024. She has four previous convictions for five offences which include shoplifting when she was a juvenile. Kassim's most recent brush with the law came this year when she was fined for possession of cannabis on March 17. Her barrister David Pinnell told the court that his client was the sole carer of her disabled 12-year-old son. 'This was a one-woman band,' he said in mitigation. 'It was all related to her. 'She was candid in her pre-sentence report interview with the probation officer. 'The defendant previously managed to overcome more serious drug use and she is currently working with the Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service (GDAS) over cannabis.' The judge, Recorder Andrew Hammond, told Kassim that although she had only sold to friends and family she must have at least made 'a small profit'. He added: "It is also aggravated by the fact that you were supplying from home where there was a child. 'However, by working with GDAS you are trying to turn your life around.' Kassim was sentenced to an 18-month community order. The defendant must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. She was ordered to pay £554 by paying £400 towards prosecution costs and a £114 victim surcharge. The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis and the forfeiture of the cash. Before she left the dock, Recorder Hammond said to her: 'Look on this as your last chance.'
