By Dave Lord

A DUNDEE woman who stuffed heroin into the pocket of a three-year-old child in a bid to smuggle the drug into Perth prison was jailed for nine months yesterday.

Perth Sheriff Court heard how Andrea Westwater attempted to use the toddler as a “mule”—an action described by Sheriff Ken Forbes as “unforgivable”.

The 24-year-old, formerly of Turnberry Avenue, but presently serving a 15-month sentence on shoplifting charges, was found guilty after trial of being concerned in the supply of the class A drug on April 4.

The trial before Sheriff Forbes had heard evidence from a friend who said they had driven from Dundee to the jail to visit their respective partners.

Westwater had been in the back of the car with two children.

When they arrived at the prison the drug squad were waiting for them and heroin was found in the three-year-old’s trouser pocket.

PC Barry Robertson was one of the officers who attended at the prison and he reported that, as soon as Westwater heard drugs had been found on the child, she said, “It’s my stuff.”

In a taped interview Westwater later told police she placed the drugs in the child’s trouser pocket on the journey from Dundee to Perth to smuggle them into prison.

She claimed she had received a letter from her partner, an inmate at Perth, asking for the drugs.

Yesterday solicitor Amy Fox said Westwater had herself been struggling with a drugs problem for the best part of 10 years.

“She has had a history of drug abuse from the age of 16,” the solicitor said. “She has now spent the longest time in custody that she ever has. The previous longest was eight weeks but she has now spent seven months in jail.”

Ms Fox continued, “During this time she has detoxified and is now on a methadone programme.

“She has been giving negative blood tests while in prison.

“She advises me this has given her time to reflect and she now wants to change.”

Ms Fox said her client had a number of reasons for staying clean.

“Her mother suffers ill health and when at liberty Ms Westwater is instrumental in helping her both around the house and by collecting prescriptions.

“She now realises the agony she has caused her mother and apologises for that.”

Ms Fox added that Westwater herself had recently suffered ill health and just last week underwent an operation to remove gallstones.

However, the solicitor added that—for the first time in a long time— Westwater could look to the future with hope.

Sentencing Sheriff Forbes expressed his disgust at Westwater’s actions.

“I accept the period in custody has been put to some use by you and you appear to have complied with all the medical tests regarding drug misuse,” he said.

“The quantity of drugs in this particular case was relatively small but there are two factors which elevate this to a much more serious level.

“Firstly you attempted to introduce a class A drug to the prison system and secondly you used a three-year-old child as a mule.

“To use a child in this way is unforgivable.

“All this adds up to one simple thing, which is the imposition of a significant custodial sentence.”