A9 driver had bag of heroin concealed in his mouth
A drug addict driving between the Tore roundabout and Inverness was seen by other motorists swerving across two carriageways and mounting the central reservation.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that when George Stewart was eventually stopped by police and taken to Burnett Road Police Station and searched he was found to have a bag of heroin concealed in his mouth.
Depute fiscal Michelle Molley told Sheriff David Sutherland that a female motorist behind Stewart’s car saw his swerving from side to side across both carriage ways.
"He was driving erratically and braking and clipped the kerb on one part of the central reservation and at one point he mounted the central reservation before pulling back on to the carriageway," said the fiscal.
She told the court the witness continued to observe Stewart’s driving and when they were stopped by traffic lights on the north side of the Kessock Bridge she pulled up alongside him.
"His tongue was hanging out and his eyes were rolling."
Stewart was later stopped by police and he was observed to be unsteady on his feet and at the police station when he was subjected to a search, heroin weighing 29 grammes with a street value of up to £1,000 was found in his mouth.
Stewart, who was described in court papers as a prisoner at Inverness, admitted driving on the A9 between Tore roundabout and Anderson Street, Inverness on April 7 last year while unfit through drink or drugs and possession of heroin with intent to supply.
Duncan Henderson, solicitor, said the 45 year-old was a married man and his adult life had been blighted by a heroin addition.
The background reports he said were favourable, he had a good work ethic and he asked Sheriff Sutherland to consider a drug treatment testing order, rather than custody.
Sheriff Sutherland order Stewart to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and placed him on a 2 year DTTO.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
