Ashley Nichols-Hancock sentenced for cocaine supply

A court has heard a Sydney woman advertised her cocaine prices to more than 100 people via text before police caught her dealing and uncovered her stash in her Guess handbag.

Ashley Nichols-Hancock, 22, outside Downing Centre Local Court in March 2023 ahead of her sentencing for cocaine supply.

An unemployed Sydney woman made hundreds of dollars in a single night by pushing cocaine as a dial-a-dealer in the Hills Shire and inner suburbs, a court has heard.

Ashley Nichols-Hancock, 22, was set to fight two drug supply charges and one of dealing with property crime proceeds at a local court hearing on March 1.

Instead, the West Pennant Hills woman pleaded guilty to all three charges, before facing Magistrate Holly Kemp for sentence.

Documents tendered to Downing Centre Local Court indicate police were targeting cocaine dial-a-dealers on the night of January 14, 2022, when the vehicle Nichols-Hancock was travelling in came to their attention.

“The vehicle pulled over to the kerb on Fitzroy St (Surry Hills), where a male entered the rear passenger seat,” police facts state.

“The vehicle took off from the kerb and turned right onto Shea’s Lane, and completed a lap back to Fitzroy St before stopping, where the male existed out of the vehicle.”

Police then pulled the vehicle over, and found Nichols-Hancock in the front passenger seat and another man driving the car.

Ashley Nichols-Hancock, 22.

“Police confirmed that the male who exited the vehicle had just purchased one bag of cocaine inside the vehicle,” police facts state.

“Police observed messages between the male and the accused arranging the supply of the bag of cocaine.”

A red and brown Guess handbag in the footwell where Nichols-Hancock was sitting was found to contain nine clear resealable bags containing cocaine, one clear resealable bag containing a crystal substance and $1900 cash.

“Police reviewed the accused’s mobile phone (and) observed a ledger in the text messages including the prices for cocaine,” police facts state.

“The text message was sent to more than 100 different numbers from her mobile phone.”

Officers also located a ledger in her phone’s Notes app detailing previous supplies.

“The most recent ledger located within the Notes app of the accused’s mobile phone was titled ‘14 January Dural – 4, $850; Pendle Hill – 2, $450; Newtown – 2, $450 – Sussex St – 1, $250’,” police facts state.

“Police allege the accused and co-accused visited the four suburbs mentioned where they supplied nine bags of cocaine for $2000 prior to police interception.”

Police state the driver’s navigation app in his phone had all the addresses listed in that ledger in the recent locations.

At Downing Centre Local Court after Nichols-Hancock pleaded guilty, Ms Kemp convicted her of all three offences.

For supplying 4.11g of cocaine and dealing with the $1900, Nichols-Hancock was sentenced to an 18-month supervised community corrections order.

For supplying 0.08g of cocaine she was fined $550.