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Benefits Street Star 'Plotted To Sell Drugs'

Benefits Street Star 'Plotted To Sell Drugs'

Several residents of the road featured in TV show Benefits Street were selling "significant quantities" of crack, heroin and cannabis from their doorsteps, a court has heard.

'Black Dee', real name Samora Roberts, is among six people who lived on or near Birmingham's James Turner Street who are standing trial.

A pink shoe containing 13 bullets was found in a washing basket inside Roberts' home, say prosecutors, while her DNA was on a sock containing another five shells discovered in a neighbour's house.

A key under Roberts' bed also unlocked a Ford Focus that contained £5,000 of crack cocaine.

The jury heard nine packets of cannabis, 16g of crack, a small amount of heroin, £500 in cash and five sets of scales were found inside her home.

Prosecutor Samantha Forsyth told Birmingham Crown Court: "You may wonder why anybody has five sets of scales - even the keenest baker wouldn't perhaps have five sets of scales."

Roberts, 33, denies two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply cannabis and two charges of illegally having ammunition.

She told police the crack and cocaine were not hers and has "described her house as an open house, and items such as the car keys" were nothing to do with her, said Ms Forsyth.

Benefits Street, which premiered in January 2014, was a big hit with viewers and according to Channel 4 "reveals the reality of life on benefits".

Birmingham Crown Court heard police had staked out "the comings and goings" of the defendants and others who did not live on the street before raiding the houses in June 2013.

Ms Forsyth said the jury would be shown undercover video of "items and packages passed about and handed to people in the street or pulling up in cars".

By mid-afternoon on one day in May, footage allegedly shows 10 people had entered Roberts' home for just a few minutes before leaving.

The other defendants - who also deny the charges against them - are Charlene Wilson, 31, Tina Thomas, 47, 39-year-old Ian Wright, Omari George, 22, and 38-year-old Marvin Scott.

The trial continues.