Drug addicts are attempting to smuggle needles into Scotland’s courts every day with Dundee at the top of the list.
More than 2,000 needles have been confiscated in court buildings across the country, but a Courier freedom of information request has revealed that, despite this, not a single user has been found injecting, snorting or consuming drugs in Scottish courts in the last five years.
The figures show 367 needles were taken from addicts at Dundee Sheriff Court between 2009 and 2011 21 more than the combined 346 at Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Since recording incidents by area began in 2009, the needle count for courts in Tayside and Fife has reached 491 around one discovery every three days.
The statistics from the Scottish Courts Service, from 2007 to last October, revealed 2,222 needles were found across Scotland.
Security staff picked up 39 needles at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last year, 34 in Kirkcaldy and 37 in Perth.
North East MSP Alex Johnstone said it was difficult to believe there was no drug taking in Scottish courts given the “staggering” amount of paraphernalia seized.
“There are not always staff on duty at the door to carry out searches, which may mean the situation is much worse than thought,” he said.
“Given that measures have been taken to try and stop drug taking in court toilets, including, I understand, signage which warns the public that needles have been found there, then people will find it extremely hard to believe that with so many confiscations there is no drug taking in Scotland’s courts.”
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