Police who raided a property in Fraserburgh discovered it was being used as a drugs safe house for a Liverpool-based organised crime gang.
They found Gail Hansbury, 36, and David Buchan, 22, inside, together with more than £25,000 worth of illicit substances, including heroin and cocaine.
Yesterday, the pair appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where they each pleaded guilty to being concerned in supplying controlled drugs between October 5 and October 10, 2019.
Fiscal depute, Lucy Simpson told the court police officers forced their way into a house on the town’s School Street at about 1.40am.
Hansbury was found alone in bed with a variety of drugs scattered around the room, children asleep in another room and Buchan in the kitchen.
A total of £19,370 of amphetamine was found, together with £4,740 of cocaine and £1,480 of heroin.
The court heard that Buchan, of Stoneycroft Lane, Arbroath, confessed to working as a senior member of an organised drug group based in Liverpool, running crack cocaine and heroin in Fraserburgh, and that Hansbury’s home was being used as a safe house to deal drugs.
Ms Simpson said the crown accepted that Buchan, represented by solicitor Stuart Flowerdew, was being used as a runner for the organised crime group and was under their influence at the time.
Hansbury’s defence agent, Leonard Birkenshaw, said the extent of her involvement was simply her allowing her house to be used for storing the drugs.
The mother of four has since moved address and “accepted” she let the organised group use her house for illegal purposes.
“The situation is almost that it was happening and she almost buried her head in the sand and put it to the back of her head,” Mr Birkenshaw added.
He said Hansbury didn’t necessarily know the extent of what was happening and claimed she didn’t even know what diamorphine was.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan spared Hansbury jail, telling her the decision was “really down to her family situation” as she was a single parent responsible for four children, including a three-month-old.
As she had “effectively provided a safe house” for drug dealers, he said this was “very much” part of the drug dealing operation.
“You should be under no illusion that I could have sentenced you today to a period of imprisonment,” Sheriff Buchanan added.
Hansbury’s sentence was deferred for good behaviour and she will appear again in December.
Buchan was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the month.
Sheriff Buchanan warned him he could expect a period of imprisonment.
