Heroin trafficker caught by Newtonmore
A drugs courier caught with a stash of heroin worth nearly £16,000 bound for the Highlands has been jailed for a year.
Laura Beckwith made the drugs run from her home in Liverpool to clear gambling debts Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
The 28 year-old, of Grange Street, Liverpool admitted being concerned in the supply of diamorphine at the Ralia Cafe car park, near Newtonmore, on the A9.
Sentence had been deferred for a background report.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood heard the drugs haul totalled 579 grammes with a street value of between £14,000 and £16,000.
He said he was confused about the figure Beckwith had been offered to take the drugs north with sums of £500 and £5000 being mentioned.
Sheriff Fleetwood said £5000 was not the going rate for the job according to other cases he had heard.
Solicitor Willie Young said Beckwith had a gambling problem and her debt was for a lesser amount.
"Her understanding was the debt she had would be repaid for this one trip.
"She has made it clear to the author of the report she had borrowed significant sums to fund her gambling addiction which she has had for a number of years to slot machines.
"One of her close friends died and she returned to her addiction."
Mr Young said to clear the debt she was to take the package which she thought contained ‘weed’.
"But clearly she was in possession of a significant quantity of a Class A drug. She is remorseful and ashamed of her stupidity and naïvety."
Mr Young asked the court to consider the option of a non-custodial sentence but Sheriff Fleetwood said people dealing in class A drugs could only expect non-custodial sentences in exceptional circumstances and he was of the view there was no alternative sentence appropriate in this case other than custody.
