A HOLT woman has been told to expect a custodial sentence after being found guilty by a jury for supplying heroin to a man who later died.

Hayley Beaven, 48, of Green Close, appeared before Swindon Crown Court for a trial this week where she faced the charge of supplying class A drugs to Bradford on Avon’s Lee Challenor.

The exchange was captured by motion-sensor CCTV showing Beaven dropping it off in her silver Toyota car to his flat in Grist Court on May 2 last year. He died a day later in hospital after overdosing.

The jury, of six men and six women, took less than an hour to return their verdict after hearing the pair had been in contact over 40 times via calls and texts over two- and-a-half months.

Judge Douglas Field told Beaven: “You have been convicted of a serious office. It is a serious offence which had tragic consequences. It is likely you will serve a custodial sentence.”

The court heard Mr Challenor, 38, had known Beaven, who pleaded not guilty, nine years ago but was reacquainted with her when he was seen hitch-hiking last March.

Beaven told the court the conversations were to about her buying a cheap mobile phone from him.

Witnesses including Mr Challenor’s “best friend” Lee Mansfield told the court drug dealing was going on.

The court heard on April 21, Mr Mansfield sent a text to him saying: “Are you still scoring gear? I wouldn’t mind a little bit,” to which Mr Challoner replied “yeah I am.”

After Mr Mansfield asked if Mr Challoner was going to get him some, Mr Challoner replied: “Yeah I’m just waiting on her turning up.”

On May 2, Beaven texted Mr Challoner saying: “I’m on my way now, be outside in five mins,” to which Mr Challoner replied: “Cool, give me a couple of rings.”

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said: “Lee Mansfield was there on that night and what he remembers about Lee Challenor was that he was frustrated and was looking to score. He remembered that Lee had been on the phone that evening and he left the flat before coming back with something in his hand.

"Whatever that was, he cooked it up and then injected it into a part of his body at which point he said ‘watch me until I go over’.”

Tony Bignall, defending, said: “With the CCTV footage evidence, was that Hayley Beaven’s car? Was that Lee Challenor getting into the car? If it was, why did it take four minutes to exchange a wrap of heroin for money? If a drug dealer wants to get away as soon as possible, they would want the deal to happen fast.”

Beaven will be sentenced for at Winchester Crown Court later this month.

Mr Challenor’s father, Julian, 65 from Chippenham, said after the trial that he felt justice had been served for his son.