A 22-year-old British woman, Naomi Williams, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for charges brought against her after 900 grams (2lb) of cocaine was found in her luggage at the Norman Manley International Airport.

Police say Williams was about to board a flight to England when the contraband was found in four jars of Palmer's Cocoa Butter that she had in her luggage. She was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export cocaine.

The lawyer for the accused woman pleaded for leniency, stating that a friend took the kindness of his client for weakness.

baby supplies

The attorney yesterday told the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court that a friend in England asked Williams to collect baby supplies from a family member, Shelly-Ann, in Jamaica and then bring them back to England for her. These baby supplies, the lawyer said, were the Palmer's Cocoa Butter that Williams collected. He said his client had no knowledge that the jars contained cocaine and not lotion. He also said Williams cooperated fully with the police when the find was made, providing the phone number and address of Shelly-Ann. The police are yet to locate that individual, however.

The lawyer also presented a petition signed by some 157 persons, stating that they did not believe Williams would commit such a crime, as she is a well-mannered and upright person who recently ended her studies at a business college in the UK and was set to graduate this November, starting a bright future.

Williams was admonished and discharged on the charge of dealing in cocaine but was sentenced to six months at hard labour for possession of cocaine and 12 months for taking steps to export cocaine.