An Aberdeen woman who turned to heroin after being bullied for being tall has been jailed for acting as a drugs mule.
The city’s sheriff court yesterday heard that Rebecca Steen built up debts of £700 as her addiction spiralled out of control, and agreed to accompany a man ferrying a stash of the Class A substance from Edinburgh in order to wipe the arrears.
The 30-year-old later pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin after police discovered the haul in Polmuir Road in December 2018.
Solicitor Paul Barnett blamed his client becoming “entrenched in drug culture” on a number of issues – including bullying in her teens on account of her height.
He said it culminated in Steen, of Ash-hill Place in Aberdeen, “using heroin every day” and accumulating arrears.
He said: “She was told if she accompanied a man to Edinburgh that would wipe out the debt.
“She was not aware of the drugs found in her handbag and said they must have been put there when she was asleep.
“She was fully aware of the purpose of the trip though.”
Social workers had suggested Sheriff Morag McLaughlin could impose unpaid work and supervision for Steen, instead of putting her behind bars.
Imposing an 18-month prison sentence, the sheriff said: “That would be an unusual response to a case involving a significant amount of class A drugs.
“I am not convinced a community payback order is an appropriate way to deal with this.”
