News / Heroin couple
A SCALLOWAY couple struggling with drug addiction are pulling their lives together as they prepare to have their first child.
On Wednesday 30 year old Kazia Smith and her 35 year old partner Andrew Gibson, appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court facing drug charges.
Both were arrested after being searched by police on 13 January and in court Smith admitted possessing seven £20 bags of heroin at their home at 13b Meadowfield Crescent.
Gibson pled guilty to having £80 worth of the class A drug with intent to supply his partner when he was stopped at Grodians, in Lerwick.
Smith’s agent Liam McAllister said his client was homeless and going through a particularly tough period at the time.
Now heavily pregnant and due to give birth next month, her life had stabilised somewhat with support from council social workers, the drugs agency CADSS and her local GP.
There remains hope that she may be able to attend a residential rehabilitation centre, but that is being held back by a lack of public funds.
For Gibson, Tommy Allan said despite his long criminal record there was no history of supplying drugs.
Having struggled with heroin addiction for 20 years, he was on a methadone prescription at the time of the offence and had only been holding onto the illegal drugs to monitor his partner’s intake after becoming concerned that she was injecting herself.
His case was more complicated as he had also narrowly failed to complete a court order to carry out unpaid work for a previous offence.
Unravelling the issues, Sheriff Philip Mann chose to fine Smith £350 for the possession, which was her first offence.
Gibson was given two months to complete 25 hours extra unpaid work for breaching the original order, after which he will be sentenced for the heroin supply.
“I suggest you do everything you can to ensure you get a glowing report,” the sheriff said.
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