News / Hassan jailed for heroin delivery
A SHETLAND drug addict who acted as a post office for bringing heroin into the islands was jailed for two and a half years at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Desiree Hassan has been locked up since 14 September when she was arrested at her home at 17a Bruce Crescent following the delivery of heroin worth £4,000 contained in a metal flask.
The package had already been detected by the islands’ charity-funded sniffer dog at the Lerwick post office and police carried out a search warrant after it was taken to the 47 year old’s address.
On Wednesday defence agent Tommy Allan said Hassan had accepted the package to clear drug debts at the time, but accepted that she had also been offered some heroin in payment.
The court had previously heard that Hassan had been a heroin addict for most of her adult life, but Mr Allan said she had managed to kick her habit while in jail.
Arguing for a community sentence coupled with a drug treatment and testing order, he said that she was not well because of her drug problems and would find a prison sentence harder than most people.
“She is not getting any younger and she’s not getting any healthier…but she has managed to get herself drug free in custody,” he said.
However Sheriff Graeme Napier said that he had no choice but to send her to jail as she had already two convictions, including one prison sentence, for dealing in drugs.
Sentencing Hassan, he said he had reduced the sentence from four years taking into account her early plea of guilty, her health and the fact she had come off drugs in jail.
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