A mother-of-two has been found guilty of supplying paper soaked in designer drugs to her incarcerated boyfriend at HMP Perth.
Hayley Watson is thought to have used a child to pass the cannabis-laced sheet to prisoner Kevin Hogg.
The 36-year-old denied allegations she was concerned in the supply of a class B synthetic cannabinoid compound, listed on court papers as “ADB-4EN-PINACA“.
But she was convicted following a two-day trial at Perth Sheriff Court.
After viewing CCTV of the apparent exchange, Sheriff William Wood told her there was no other “plausible or credible” way Mr Hogg could have received the illicit substance.
He said it was inconceivable Mr Hogg was handed the paper by someone inside the jail, before visiting time.
“If that was so, it would be the first time efforts were made to smuggle drugs out of a prison,” he said.
Visiting time
The court heard Watson, of Hazel Road, Cumbernauld, visited her boyfriend just before 4.30pm on February 17 2022.
Surveillance video from the visiting area was shown during the trial.
Mr Hogg, 31, told the trial the only papers he had were given to him by prison staff.
The court heard sheets of paper were given to a restless child in the visiting area, to draw on.
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding asked Mr Hogg: “Was in not the case that your partner came in with a piece of paper that was laced with drugs?”
He replied: “Certainly not.”
The footage showed the prisoner holding the child after she became distressed.
Afterwards Mr Hogg is seen with a third sheet of paper.
At the end of the visit, he handed paper back to a prison guard.
The officer then pointed out the third sheet, which Mr Hogg is still holding.
He handed that over as well.
Asked if drugs are often exchanged by other prisoners at the jail, Mr Hogg replied: “I don’t take drugs, so I wouldn’t know about that.”
Magic paper
Mr Harding said: “You can see from the CCTV there are two pieces of paper to begin with.
“And then, as if by magic, a third sheet appears.”
A lawyer for Watson stressed it was possible Mr Hogg had been given the drug-laced paper by another prisoner.
Sheriff Wood said: “This trial has been something of a jigsaw.
“At the start of the visit, the child was given pieces of paper to keep them entertained and amused.
“I understand that’s quite a regular occurrence.”
He said: “Critically, when Ms Watson was ready to leave, Mr Hogg had nothing in his hand – then a third piece of paper suddenly appeared.
“I don’t accept that this piece of paper might have been passed to Mr Hogg on his way to the visit.
“If that was so, it would be the first time efforts were made to smuggle drugs out or prison.”
The sheriff added: “At the end of the day, there could be few explanations as to where that paper came from.
“And given how it appeared, it certainly seems to have come from the child’s clothing.”
He said he had “no option” but to find Watson guilty.
He told her: “There is really no other explanation available. I have no reason to doubt the Crown case.”
Sentence was deferred for background reports.
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