The wife of a notorious drugs lord has been spared jail after using his ill gotten gains to pay rent.

Sarah Day, now of Henry Street, Rishton, used £16,575 of criminal cash to live at the couple’s property in Hapton.

Her drugs baron husband Martin Day was leader of a gang which supplied more than £20m in cocaine and amphetamine.

Martin Day was jailed for 16 years in 2010 after admitting conspiracy to supply drugs.

His wife has now been spared jail after being found guilty of converting criminal property following a five-day trial at Preston Crown Court.

She was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, a 12-month supervision order and must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

Martin Day, 40, and his 13 henchmen were jailed for a total of more than 100 years at Preston Crown Court.

The kingpin and his cohorts were caught out following months of undercover police surveillance when officers seized 80 kilos of cannabis, 50 kilos of amphetamine and 2.5 kilos of cocaine during raids at properties across the north of England.

However, police believe the gang had actually traded far more - up to 80 kilos of cannabis, 1,500 kilos of amphetamine and 430 kilos of cocaine with a total street value in excess of £20m.

John Dilworth, head of the Crown Prosecution Service North West Complex Casework Unit, said the conviction of Sarah Day sent out a clear message.

He said: “If you are the husband, wife or partner of a drug dealer or anyone involved in any type of crime and you deal with the proceeds of that crime, you can be prosecuted.

“For too long our communities have been frustrated by seeing people with no legitimate income enjoying lavish lifestyles funded by crime.

“Sarah Day sought to hoodwink a jury into thinking that she believed the property with which she dealt was legitimate. However, the jury saw through her lies and convicted her. She has now got a criminal record.

“The CPS North West is committed to working with the police to bring such people to justice using the Proceeds of Crime Legislation.”

A Proceeds of Crime hearing will take place at the crown court next January.