A Crimond woman who gave methadone to a friend was charged with drug dealing when the man died after taking it, a court has heard.
Angela Mackintosh sourced 400ml of methadone for the pal but then called an ambulance when the man died overnight.
She appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court on Monday to hear her fate after earlier admitting to being concerned in the supply of the drug.
Mackintosh’s solicitor stressed that his client is not being held responsible for causing the drug user’s death.
Drug user did not wake up
Fiscal depute Lydia Williams gave a brief narrative of the events leading up to Mackintosh, 45, being charged.
She said Mackintosh had been asked to source methadone by a friend’s partner, but she was then unable to rouse them the following day.
Mackintosh was present when paramedics arrived and when she told them she had supplied the deceased with methadone they contacted police.
“The accused voluntarily stated she had sourced 400ml of methadone,” Ms Williams said.
Trying to help a friend
Defence solicitor Iain Jane explained to Sheriff Robert McDonald that his client had been trying to help a friend by sourcing the drug.
The user had spent a period in custody prior to their death without access to their prescription services, he said.
“She was trying to help out a friend,” he said.
“Ms Mackintosh accepts the plea of guilty. It is quite clearly a classic example of what would be called ‘concerned in the supply’.”
Mr Jane also stressed that his client was not responsible for the person’s death, noting that the cause of death was “mixed-drug intoxication”.
“That’s never what she’s been accused of,” he added.
Sentencing her, Sheriff McDonald said he was satisfied there was a “sensible alternative” to a period of custody for Mackintosh.
“Being concerned in the supply of drugs is always a serious matter,” he said, before handing her an unpaid work order.
Within the next year, Mackintosh, of Logie Road, must now complete 96 hours of work within the community.