A couple have been spared prison sentences for selling drugs after “hard-hitting dealers” imprisoned the woman in a car and beat up her partner, breaking his jaw in two places.

Joanne Evans was threatened over a big drug debt and Trevor Hall was punched, kicked and stamped on when he intervened to help her, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The couple, of Arden Road, Lower Grange, Bradford, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and crack cocaine at Mornington Villas, Manningham, on May 6 last year. Evans, 36, a long-standing drug addict, also admitted having £90 drugs money on her when she was arrested.

The court heard yesterday that Evans had several wraps of the Class A drugs hidden in her underwear when she was apprehended by drugs squad officers acting on a tip-off.

Hall, 57, who is not a drug-user, was driving her around, knowing she was selling the drugs, because he feared for her safety, the court heard.

Evans’ barrister, Claire Larton, said she had run up a substantial drug debt and was put under extreme pressure. She was vulnerable and had been exploited.

Peter Hampton, for Hall, said he was badly injured a month before they were caught supplying the drugs.

Evans was locked in a car by dealers to frighten her into paying up and he was badly beaten when he intervened.

His jaw was broken in two places and he spent three days in hospital.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC sentenced Evans to an intensive community order with 12 months’ supervision, activities to help her get off drugs and a six month curfew.

Hall received a 12-month community order with 150 hours’ unpaid work and a six month curfew.

The judge said there was no doubt Hall was caused grievous bodily harm by “hard-hitting drug dealers.”

The assault put extra pressure on Evans who acted out of fear when she followed the instruction of the dealers.