Overview
- Samantha Donovan, 33, was convicted of concealing criminal property and received a three-year prison term at Teesside Crown Court.
- Prosecutors said she used her Teesside Furnishings business to hide profits from partner Aaron Thirlwall’s Class A drug supply.
- Police raids recovered £10,740 in cash, Rolex watches, imitation firearms, a bulletproof vest, drugs, a machete and nine phones linked to her home and nearby vehicles.
- Receipts tied to her address showed high-value electronics purchases, and investigators said she drove luxury cars registered in relatives’ names while claiming housing benefit and tax credits.
- Thirlwall has been on the run for about 30 months, and the judge said Donovan exposed their children to crime as she reduced the term to lessen the impact on them.