A Fife woman, who was caught trying to smuggle cocaine to her partner in prison, has avoided being put behind bars herself.
Angela Rooney, 45, tried to get the drugs into Glenochil jail, where her partner was serving a sentence.
She was caught in the smuggling bid and claimed her partner was threatening to kill himself if she did not take the drugs inside.
Rooney, formerly of Glenrothes, and now of Methilhill, appeared for sentencing at Alloa Sheriff Court.
She admitted that on April 6 last year at HMP Glenochil, she supplied cocaine to David McLean.
Coercion explanation
Defence solicitor Gino Gambale said: “This is clearly a significant aggravation in her offending and is entirely out of character.
“Her partner was in prison and was being pressured to bring in drugs. In a moment of desperation, he asked her.
“He said if she didn’t do it, he would kill himself as he couldn’t take it anymore. She took in drugs on this single occasion.
“This conduct is unacceptable and she recognises that.”
He said his client suffers various ailments which would mean she would be “vulnerable” if sent to prison.
Avoided prison
Sheriff Neil Bowie told Rooney: “Supplying drugs to prison is an extremely serious offence (that) passes the custodial threshold and that would normally be the sentence for this.
“It seems there was an element of coercion and pressure but notwithstanding that, you have your own will.
“This offence would have required a significant level of planning to acquire the cocaine, travel to the prison, conceal the drugs and try to pass them on to your partner.”
However, he decided against imposing a jail term.
Instead, Rooney was put on an 11-month restriction of liberty order and a community payback order with a year’s supervision.
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