Saskia Tonni Hendrikus Jansen found not guilty of drug trafficking after a trial

A woman “living large” off her terminally ill boyfriend’s payout was a self-confessed “full blown meth addict” but not a drug dealer, a jury has found.

A woman “living large” off her terminally ill boyfriend’s payout was partying and taking drugs, but not dealing them, a jury has found.

Saskia Tonni Hendrikus Jansen, 44, was found not guilty of drug trafficking in the District Court this week, after telling the court she scored free drugs from her boyfriend.

Brigid Symes, for the prosecution, told the court in her opening statement police attended a Salisbury North property on Jan 27, 2020.

They located Ms Jansen and her boyfriend at the time, Warren Ford.

Police searched and found over 6g of methamphetamine, valued at $3000, on the dining room table in various bags and containers.

Saskia Jansen leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court in 2020 after pleading not guilty to drug trafficking. Picture: Mark Brake

Saskia Jansen was found not guilty after a jury trial. Picture: Mark Brake

The court heard fingerprints on a box containing plastic resealable bags allegedly matched Ms Jansen’s and a tick list matched her handwriting.

The court heard Mr Ford received a payout of $177,000 a few weeks prior as he had terminal cancer.

Mr Ford ended up dying in January 2021.

During Ms Jansen’s testimony, she admitted she was a “full blown meth addict” at the time of arrest.

The former Gawler hotel manager said her life spiralled after her former partner cheated on her while she was pregnant with their fourth child – which she ended up losing.

Ms Jansen said she then commenced a romantic relationship with Mr Ford, knowing he was dying.

“He (Mr Ford) would supply the drugs, our relationship was pretty much – I’m not proud of it, I’m not at all but I dare say I relied on him a lot for drugs,” Ms Jansen said.

“A lot of the time we were living large … it was kind of yeah, partying, drugs and that sort of thing.”

Saskia Jansen said her boyfriend Warren Ford scored her the free drugs. Photo: Facebook

Ms Jansen told the court before her and Mr Ford’s arrest they had been at a Glenelg hotel with mutual friends taking drugs.

“It was like a wine tasting of a different assortment of drugs … people would say ‘try this one, try this one’.”

Ms Jansen said after they returned home Mr Ford looked through the peephole and said “there’s f***ing police here,” before wiping his fingerprints off the drugs.

Ms Jansen said she wasn’t in the state of mind to sell the drugs Warren gave her.

In her closing statement, Kathryn Waite, for Ms Jansen, told the jury while they might not like what they saw of Ms Jansen and think her lifestyle was “pretty despicable”, they needed to put that aside to make a decision.

Ms Waite said prosecution had to prove Ms Jansen had “exclusive possession” of the drugs and they weren’t Mr Ford’s.

“If you are suspicious about Ms Jansen having possession, that will not be enough,” she said.

After deliberating on Wednesday, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty for Ms Jansen.