News / Goodlad sent to jail for supplying heroin
A TWENTY one year old man has been jailed for almost three years after admitting supplying heroin to several people in Lerwick this summer.
Larri Ian Goodlad, whose address was given as Polmont Brightons young offenders institute, pleaded guilty to supplying the class A substance at Grostane and Port Business Park – both in Lerwick – on or between 30 July and 15 August this year.
He was on bail in relation to another offence for the first three days of that time period.
Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday afternoon that Goodlad, who had been in custody since 17 August, also had a previous conviction for supplying cannabis.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the latest offence came to light on 15 August when police officers stopped a vehicle that Goodlad was travelling in as a passenger.
Due to his comments and demeanour, and their knowledge of his track record, officers exercised their right to search Goodlad. While no drugs were initially found, he did have £385 cash on his person – while a further £700 was recovered from the car door on the driver’s side.
A search warrant was executed at the accused’s address and a total of 1.59 grams of diamorphine with a value of around £150 was discovered in three different-sized wraps.
Mackenzie said that Goodlad gave a “fairly frank interview” to police and confirmed he had purchased £350-worth of heroin from another address in town.
He intended to sell it to the driver of the car – who was prosecuted separately after being found in possession of the drug – and another individual.
Goodlad conceded he had sold 1.61 grams of the drug for £150, but denied any knowledge of the £700 and claimed the £385 was money he had received from his mother.
Analysis of his mobile phone enabled police to extend the timeframe taking into account text messages that had been deleted and then retrieved.
It appeared he attempted to sell drugs to 11 individuals, six of whom apparently made arrangements to buy drugs from him.
Defence agent Charles Drummond said that upon his earlier release from Polmont, Goodlad obtained a flat in Greenock and managed to stay out of trouble having removed himself from the Lerwick community where he had developed addiction problems.
He was brought back to the islands on a warrant relating to a community payback order and bailed to the address of his mother’s former partner, perhaps the “worst environment” possible as the man had drug addiction problems of his own.
Drummond said the quantities his client dealt were of “minimal value” and any financial gains were “limited to hundreds rather than thousands of pounds”.
Goodlad “does genuinely show remorse” for his actions. Still a young man, his hope is “ultimately to return to Greenock and make progress with his life”.
Drummond asked Sheriff Philip Mann to consider calling for a social work report, but the sheriff said he had heard nothing that could persuade him to issue anything other than a significant custodial sentence.
“[This is] a stepping up of the seriousness of your offending given that we’re dealing with heroin, a class A drug that causes so much misery to those unfortunate enough to fall under its spell,” Sheriff Mann said.
He jailed Goodlad for two years and eight months, backdated to August and reduced from three years and six months to reflect his guilty plea. Four months of the sentence reflected the fact that his offence was committed whilst on bail.
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