Vulnerable woman caught with heroin in Aviemore avoids jail sentence
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A vulnerable woman who got involved with Liverpool drug dealers for fear of her and her family being murdered was warned she would be jailed if she did it again.
Stephanie Lewicki, of Galloway Drive, Inverness was appearing before Sheriff Neil Wilson for sentence on two indictments she admitted involving possessing drugs and supplying them after a background report had been prepared.
Sheriff Wilson had previously told the 32-year-old that he was not considering a jail sentence.
Inverness Sheriff Court had earlier heard that Lewicki had taken £17,000 of cocaine and heroin as insurance against harm being done to her or her family.
The court was told that she got a taxi from Inverness to Aviemore and was then traced by police to a restaurant there on the evening of May 15, 2022.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told Sheriff Wilson that Lewicki, who admitted simple possession of 250.3 grams of cocaine and 2.18 grams of heroin, was a reported missing person on May 13.
Mrs Gair said: "A taxi picked her up in Tomatin Road and she put a holdall in the boot. She told the driver she had to say goodbye to her mother as she may not see her again.
"She then asked to be taken to Glasgow but the driver said he would take her to Aviemore. The driver then reported her to police, knowing she was a missing person, and she was traced to a restaurant in Aviemore."
Mrs Gair added that officers searched her and she had a jar of wraps hidden between her legs.
She told them: "I took this as collateral so my family wouldn't be murdered."
Lewicki was searched again at Burnett Road Police Station with £575 in cash being found in her bra, a bag of wraps and a Kinder egg.
The total value of the cocaine and heroin was £17,310.
The other case involved a police raid on a house in Glendoe Terrace, Inverness on August 2, 2021 which discovered a drug dealing den with several people inside.
The court heard one of them was Lewicki and her mobile phone was seized.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court: "The accused’s mobile phone was examined and text messages indicative of her being involved in the supply of cocaine were found, dating from June 17, 2021.
“In total, around £380 worth of cocaine was recovered from the property.”
Defence solicitor advocate Clare Russell said: "She is a lady who has had quite a difficult life so far, in abusive relationships and was in the companionship of the wrong people.
"She has distanced herself from that lifestyle."
He ordered Lewicki to be under social work supervision for 18 months and to complete 270 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff told her: "I accept you are a vulnerable person, but make no mistake, if you ever get into this trouble again, you will struggle to avoid a prison sentence.
"You appear to be turning your life around so I will give you a chance."
