News / Addict offered help by court
A LERWICK man whose addiction to heroin has sent his life in a downward spiral is to be assessed for drug treatment after admitting numerous charges at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Matthew Smith, of 13 Grodians, Lerwick, appeared from custody after spending the past 10 days in Aberdeen prison having been arrested on 13 February for causing a disturbance at a house in the town’s Millgaet.
The 25 year old was on bail at the time having already pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of diazepam, after being found with 900 pills worth 50p each at South Lochside, Lerwick, and 38 Sycamore Avenue, Scalloway, on 8 September last year.
He had also admitted possessing the Class A heroin substitute methadone at Lerwick’s Ladies Drive, on 3 July last year, possessing heroin the day before at 38 Sycamore Crescent, Scalloway and taking and driving away a car and driving without insurance around Scalloway on 3 December.
Last month the court heard that Smith had only recently become addicted to heroin, but his habit had rapidly become aggressive and he was now well integrated into the local drugs scene.
However on Wednesday defence agent Sam Milligan said that his client had a “chronic” addiction that had lasted for the past five years.
The diazepam had been purchased on the internet and was to be distributed amongst friends who had drug problems, the court was told.
His arrest earlier this month followed an argument with his former partner about how he should be tackling his drug problems, when his behaviour had become so aggressive that the woman called his parents who ended up pinning him to the bed to try and calm him down.
Sheriff Graeme Napier agreed to Mr Milligan’s request for Smith to be placed on a drug treatment and testing order and sentence was deferred until 23 March.
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