The mother of a convicted rapist who was caught smuggling a balloon and mobile phone into HMP Perth has avoided being locked up.
Shona Alexander attempted to sneak in the device during visiting hours, by hiding it in her wheelchair.
The phone was concealed inside a balloon and tucked into an Aero wrapper.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the 60-year-old had arrived at the jail to see her son Steven Banks, who was caged for 11 years in October.
Alexander was previously warned the offence normally merited a custodial sentence.
But Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon instead ordered her to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
He said the sentence was a direct alternative to jail.
Phone hidden under wheelchair cushion
Alexander, from Lochgelly, admitted bringing the phone into the Edinburgh Road prison on December 14.
Prosecutor Duncan McKenzie said she had signed in at around 2.20pm and was searched by prison staff.
Officers did not find the phone-balloon-Aero combo hidden under her seat cushion.
However, police at the jail became suspicious and Alexander was approached again.
“She was cautioned for the purposes of a full search,” said the fiscal depute.
Alexander told officers “I might as well give you this” and pulled out the chocolate bar wrapper from under her cushion.
Mr McKenzie said: “Ms Alexander was arrested and taken to divisional headquarters in Dundee, where she was cautioned and charged.
“When interviewed, she was forthright with officers and said she had been asked to bring the phone into prison for her son.”
Son is ‘manipulative and vindictive’ rapist
The court heard that Alexander had been blocked from seeing her son when the offence came to light.
The incident was described at a previous hearing by Sheriff Derek Reekie as a “significant error of judgement”.
Banks, from Ballingry, was jailed for 11 years at the High Court in Stirling in October.
The 39-year-old, who has a previous conviction for dealing cocaine, denied the sex offences but was found guilty following trial in Livingston.
Jurors heard how he asked a schoolgirl to change into his Rangers top before raping her.
He went on to rape, sexually assault and attempt to rape another girl over a period of more than two years, beginning when he was 30 and she was only 10.
One of his victims told police he was “sly, manipulative and vindictive”.
The court heard that one of the rapes happened at Banks’ mother’s then-home in Ballingry in 2011.
For more local court content visit our dedicated page, or join us on Facebook.
