A female drugs mule who took a train to Liverpool to bring heroin back to Angus has been detained for 11 months.
Natalie Bruce (19), of Montrose Street, Brechin, originally appeared on indictment, before admitting that between July 20 and July 21 last year, at High Street, Montrose, and elsewhere unknown, she was concerned in the supply of heroin.
She further admitted stealing a watch from Garrison Road, Montrose, on May 9, while on bail.
At Arbroath Sheriff Court on Tuesday, depute fiscal Arlene Shaw said police executed a search warrant for Bruce’s boyfriend’s house in light of information received.
Bruce was found in the house with her boyfriend and a third party. A search of the address recovered drugs paraphernalia, digital scales, mobile phones and a plastic wrap with 25.6g of heroin. It had a potential street value of £2560.
Also recovered were train tickets for a return journey between Montrose and Liverpool for July 20, the day before the search.
“She admitted the train tickets were hers,” said Ms Shaw. “She said she had gone to meet a female friend. However the Crown believes the visit was indeed to source the heroin recovered.”
Ms Shaw said a text message sent from Bruce’s phone to her boyfriend on the day of the train journey to Liverpool said, “That’s me in Preston. You will have to tell them.”
Ms Shaw said it was also a fairly high-value train journey to meet a friend.
“The Crown also believes it was not the accused’s position to sell these drugs,” she said. “She had in essence been a third party or a mule to bring these drugs into the area.”
Turning to the second charge, Ms Shaw said the complainer was Bruce’s sister’s boyfriend who was staying overnight. He had removed his watch and when he got up the next morning it was missing. Suspicion fell on Bruce, who admitted it to her sister.
“When interviewed she said she was desperate for money and sold the watch for £30,” said Ms Shaw. “The watch was valued at £300.”
It was not recovered.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said, “Although she was not the one who would be supplying the drugs, she was effectively set up and used by others. At the time she was only 18 years of age. She was under the influence of drugs at the time and heavily dependent on heroin.
“She has now managed to wean herself off heroin and she is now separated from her partner altogether. Her life effectively fell apart when she got into drugs.”
Mr Rennie said the watch theft happened after her benefits were stopped and it was a desperate attempt for money.
Sheriff Derek Pyle told Bruce, “The minute you get involved in the supply of drugs particularly of this value, and particularly from Liverpool, which, as everyone in the court system knows, is the main source of drugs into this area a custodial sentence is bound to be imposed.”