A mother-of-three accused of plotting to smuggle heroin into Bradford in Afghan rugs told a jury she had no idea what was going on.

Tracy Schofield admitted she was having an affair with convicted armed robber Alan Hoffman-Balmer, 51, who has pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.

Schofield, 41, of Briggs Street, Queensbury, and Waseem Rauf, 22, of Exmouth Place, Undercliffe, both Bradford, deny conspiring to contravene the Customs and Excise Management Act by importing heroin.

Bradford Crown Court has heard how the plot to smuggle heroin with a street value of up to £1.6 million into Bradford woven in Afghan rugs was foiled during a police sting operation.

The drug was detected by Customs officers at Manchester Airport and the three packages swapped to trap the conspirators.

Schofield and Hoffman-Balmer collected the substitute parcels from the Federal Express depot in Manchester and brought them back to Bradford.

They were arrested on January 31 as Hoffman-Balmer loaded them into a car in Petrie Road, Thornbury, Bradford.

Schofield said she began an affair with Hoffman-Balmer last November after the break-up of her 23-year relationship.

She told the jury he was at first “really nice and charming” but quickly became possessive and violent.

She kept trying to break off the relationship and planned to move home to avoid him. “I knew he had been in prison but did not ask what for,” she said.

Schofield said that two days before they were arrested, Hoffman-Balmer, of Haycliffe Road, Little Horton, Bradford, attacked her, pinning her down and hitting her.

She said she was depressed and was downing a bottle of vodka a day, often starting at 6am. Although she was drunk, she recalled travelling in a taxi to Manchester and the mention of three packets. She was told to bring her passport and other identification.

“I just went along with it. I wouldn’t dare say no to Alan. He had beaten me up two days previously,” she said.

“I had no idea what was going to be picked up. I was shocked when I saw the size of the packets.”

Schofield said of her arrest: “I couldn’t believe it. I did not know what we had picked up. I did not even know they were rugs. I did not know they were drugs in rugs.”

The jury has been told that Hoffman-Balmer has a history of serious criminal convictions, twice serving ten-year sentences for robbery.

Another man, among others, suspected of involvement is Mohammed Qasafi, of Oswaldthorpe Avenue, Bradford Moor, Bradford, who has disappeared.

Prosecutor Graham Reeds said the three packages arrived at Manchester Airport Cargo Centre from Kabul on January 25 addressed to Schofield’s home and labelled “19 Afghani rugs”.

Heroin with a street value of up to £1.6 million was woven into the rugs in thin paper tubes.

The trial continues.