Mom Arrested, Claims $1000 Worth Of Cocaine Was Daughter's B-day Gift

Turning 18 can be a big moment in a teenager’s life, so it’s understandable if their parent wants to do something extra special to celebrate the milestone occasion. While some teens dream of receiving keys to a brand new car or a trip to Europe, Nicola Austen had something different in mind when it came to her daughter’s birthday present: $1,000 worth of cocaine!

In January, Austen was arrested at home with about eight grams of the drug, reports the Huffington Post. The British mom told authorities of her plan to take the birthday girl out for a good time in London. Austen booked a limo and planned to take the stash with her for some drug-induced, mother-daughter bonding. Before the celebration could take place, police stopped by to talk to Austen, who had six previous convictions, including one for possessing amphetamine. That’s when a police dog found the coke.

Despite the previous convictions, Austen managed to avoid serving time in jail. Earlier this week, the 37-year-old received a nine-month suspended sentence and 250 hours of community service. She was given the lighter sentence since she claimed that the drugs were only going to be used by her daughter and herself.