Hannah Sims of Bexleyheath receives suspended sentence for cocaine supply role

A Bexleyheath mother has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting her role in a cocaine supply operation. Hannah Sims, 29, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 30 July 2026 to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

Sims pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine but was cleared by a jury of conspiracy to commit robbery. The charges stemmed from a police investigation into armed robberies in Belvedere and Swanscombe in January 2025, during which she was arrested as the driver for two men, Alexander Emmerich and Stephen Hand.

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Recruitment and role in drug supply

Prosecutor Simon Foster told the court that Emmerich, described as heavily involved in cocaine supply, recruited Sims on 16 December 2024. She was to deliver drugs on his behalf for £10 per trip, though she claimed she never received payment. The operation lasted six weeks, with evidence gathered from messages on a phone found in her car.

Foster alleged that Sims took her youngest child with her on at least one drug delivery. This claim was based on a message in which Sims wrote, “I’ll take [the child] with me,” following a discussion about a deal. The prosecution argued this showed she had exposed her child to criminal activity.

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Sims’ defence barrister, Matthew Kirk, disputed this interpretation. He said the message was taken out of context and related to childcare arrangements with Emmerich, with whom Sims had a sexual relationship. Kirk told the court, “It is absolutely not accepted that any of the children were present for any drug handover.”

“The reality of the relationship was that you were a weak figure under Mr Emmerich’s control. I accept that you were involved through weakness, naivety, and immaturity.”

Judge Martin Yale

Judge Martin Yale said he could not be sure, to the criminal standard of proof, that Sims had taken her child to a drug deal. He noted that Emmerich was the dominant figure in their relationship and suggested this influenced her involvement in the operation.

Sentence and next steps

In sentencing, Judge Yale said supplying class A drugs was an extremely serious offence with damaging consequences for users and communities. However, he said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation for Sims in the community. The suspended sentence means she will not go to prison unless she commits another offence within two years.

Sims must now complete 100 hours of unpaid work. The court heard references describing her as a good mother, which Kirk presented in mitigation. Emmerich and Hand, who were involved in the armed robberies, face separate proceedings, the outcomes of which are not yet public.