An man who attempted to smuggle hundreds of pounds worth of heroin into HMP Perth has been spared jail after a sheriff praised him for turning around his life.
Steven Stewart was caught on camera with an illicit drugs package stashed in his underwear.
The 43-year-old served time at the prison for robbing a Dundee taxi driver at knifepoint.
Shortly after his release, he returned to the jail as a visitor and tried to pass about £1,300 of heroin to inmate Norman Gunn.
Stewart appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted being concerned in the supply of the drug on January 8 2022.
He avoided being sent back to jail after a sheriff heard how he had since “transformed” his lifestyle.
Suspicious hug
Fiscal depute Lissie Cooke told the court: “At the time, the accused had been recently liberated from a prison sentence.”
She said Stewart arrived at Perth Prison at 2.45pm to visit inmate Gunn.
“At the end of the visit, a prison officer observed both men standing up and hugging.
“He saw an item being passed from the accused to the prisoner.”
Stewart was preventing from the leaving the jail, while the incident was flagged to police.
Gunn was searched and a small cellophane wrap was found in his trousers.
Officers reviewed CCTV and saw Stewart removing the package from his boxer shorts.
A short time later, the prisoner was spotted hiding the item in his clothing.
The wrap was seized by police and later confirmed to be 8.6g of heroin.
Ms Cooke said it would have been worth around £1,290 in prison.
Lifestyle ‘transformed’
Stewart was jailed for three years in 2021 for a terrifying assault on the cabbie.
The court heard how Stewart – then a desperate drug addict – held a knife at the taxi driver’s throat and robbed him of cash.
It happened just days after Stewart was granted early release from prison.
Solicitor Theo Finlay, defending, said his client’s criminal history had been “driven by substance misuse.”
He said: “This incident dates back three years and it is the last time he has offended.
“He took himself away from Dundee and got a place in a drug rehabilitation centre.”
Mr Finlay said Stewart has since “transformed himself and transformed his lifestyle.”
Sheriff Andrew Berry told Stewart: “This is obviously a very serious matter.
“This would normally result in a period of imprisonment.
“But it seems that it would be a negative step to send you to prison, given the steps you have taken to turn your life around.”
The sheriff placed Stewart on supervision for a year and ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.
“It is good to see someone who has made an effort so well done.”
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