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Man caught trying to smuggle cannabis into prison hidden inside pair of trainers

Joe Roberts, also known as Amess, attempted to post cannabis into HMP Grampin disguised in a pair of trainers. 

Image: DC Thomson.
Joe Roberts, also known as Amess, attempted to post cannabis into HMP Grampin disguised in a pair of trainers. Image: DC Thomson.

A man’s brazen attempt to post cannabis into a north-east jail was thwarted when prison officials searched the parcel and found the drugs hidden inside a pair of trainers.

Joe Roberts, also known as Amess, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted to attempting to smuggle the drugs into HMP Grampian.

The court was told eagle-eyed prison officers noticed something amiss when the shoes arrived and found two blocks of cannabis resin, worth around £160, hidden in the heels.

Police later traced the parcel back to its origin and found CCTV footage of the 22-year-old and another man sending it from a post office in Aberdeen.

His solicitor told the court his client was now “concerned” the court might place him in jail for his part in the offence.

Joe Roberts, known as Amess, tried to smuggle cannabis into HMP Grampian in a pair of trainers. Image: DC Thomson.

Fiscal depute Ryan Diamond told the court that on January 12 last year, Royal Mail delivered a shoebox-sized parcel to HMP Grampian.

“Prison officers opened the parcel and examined the contents, which was a pair of trainers,” he said.

“Upon further examination, they found there were inconsistencies in the treads and inside the heels they recovered two pieces of a brown resin substance.”

The blocks were tested and found to be cannabis resin weighing more than 15 grams.

Police then traced the tracking number and ran it through Royal Mail’s system, Mr Diamond said.

CCTV footage from the post office on Union Street was examined and showed Roberts posting the parcel from the self-service counter, alongside another man.

Roberts pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.

Roberts tried to send the drugs to HMP Grampian in Peterhead. Image: Darrell Benns / DC Thomson

Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt told the court that his client had a “significant record” that “will give concern to the court”.

He added that the quantity of cannabis was “relatively low” and that Roberts’ involvement was “very much secondary” to his co-accused.

“Mr Roberts had nothing to gain from this and he is quite concerned about the possibility of a custodial sentence,” Mr Woodward-Nutt added.

Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence on Roberts, of Henley Road, Coventry, and remanded him in custody in order for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order to be carried out.

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