An Inverness woman was spared a jail sentence yesterday after admitting possessing almost £5,000 of heroin.
However, 40-year-old Julie Scott had almost £2,750 she had in her home confiscated following her court appearance.
Depute fiscal Roderick Urquhart told Sheriff Margaret Neilson at an earlier hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court that Scott’s home was raided by police and she confessed there were drugs in the house.
A search discovered 47.5 grammes of the Class A narcotic, which Mr Urquhart said had a maximum street value of £4,750.
The prosecutor added that police also found scales and bags, £950 in cash, a wallet containing £1,800 and four pieces of cannabis resin of different sizes amounting to 23.8grammes.
Yesterday, Scott was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work, remain under social work supervision for three years and undertake a drug treatment and offender rehabilitation programme.
An application by fiscal depute Michelle Molley to confiscate the £2,750 was granted by the sheriff.
Defence lawyer Neil Wilson said: “Her role in this was a relatively minor one. She was taken advantage of in various ways and with a background of intermittent drug use for 19 or 20 years, various stress factors led her into the difficulties she is now facing.
“She made choices that were wrong choices and she accepts responsibility. She is absolutely terrified of going to prison. She has two children, 19 years of age and she has always done her best for them.
“She has also been doing her best to address her drug problem,” Mr Wilson added.