A mother and son have been jailed for dealing drugs from their home.
Annette Peacock, 50, and Michael Steel, 24, previously admitted supplying cannabis with a street value of around £10,500 from an address on Brickfield Terrace, Stonehaven.
Peacock also admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, worth around £28,500.
Yesterday, they appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing – and hugged each other in the dock as they were handed jail terms.
Steel was locked up for 12 months for his offence, which happened on December 30 last year.
Peacock, whose offences happened between December 30 and January 28, was jailed for two years by Sheriff Andrew Miller.
The court heard Steel had purchased £6,000 of cannabis he claimed was for personal use, but admitted to selling small amounts to four or five people. The Class B drug was stored in more than 120 separate packages.
Iain McGregor, Steel’s solicitor, told the court the dealing was “very much restricted to a fairly close-knit group” and that he was essentially “bulk buying” for people he knew.
The court was told that Peacock was not directly involved in the onward supply of the cannabis, but was aware of what her son was doing, and allowed her address to be used.
Her solicitor, Paul Barnett, said she became involved in cocaine use through a former partner two years ago. The relationship broke down, but she continued to use.
He said: “The accused accrued a drug debt. Pressure was applied upon her by her creditors to do something to alleviate it.”
Mr Barnett said Peacock ultimately held and sold cocaine on behalf of her creditors, and added: “Perhaps the most striking thing about Annette Peacock’s situation is that at 50 years of age she has no record of any note.
“She very much regrets her involvement.”
Sheriff Miller told the mum that her sentence was not only a punishment, but a “warning” to others.