Court / ‘Drug mule’ who fell ill on ferry after concealing heroin given prison term

A “DRUG mule” who concealed heroin internally within his body on the ferry to Shetland – before giving the game away when complaining to staff on board about being in significant pain – has been given a prison sentence.

Scott McGuire took the trip on the NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick last year as a way of paying off a drug debt.

The 46-year-old had hidden packages inside his body – but after finding himself in pain and thinking he might die he told staff he had concealed drugs.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that two doctors on board the ship helped to retrieve packages from McGuire’s rectum with the use of a toilet brush.

He appeared from custody via video link to plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class A diamorphine on board the MV Hjaltland, the NorthLink ferry terminal in Lerwick and at the town’s Gilbert Bain Hospital on 6 November last year.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank gave him a 24 month prison sentence, backdated to when he first entered custody on 7 November.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that McGuire was in “very obvious distress” when he attended the Hjaltland’s reception area.

After he revealed he was internally concealing drugs, help was sought and two doctors who happened to be on board gave support.

In the toilets they managed to retrieve two packages. A further package was found when McGuire was taken to hospital in Lerwick when the ferry docked.

Mackenzie said the total value of the heroin involved, when broken down into its smallest sellable amounts, was £2,650, with the total weight around 40 grams.

He said McGuire, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, also had a note on him which had directions on it.

Mackenzie told the court it was a “classic case of a drug mule” and said McGuire had no connection to Shetland.

Defence agent Iain McGregor said that description was “entirely accurate”.

He said his client, who had a number of similar previous convictions and is a qualified mechanic, had a high level of drug debt.

“He was offered a way of that debt which was transporting drugs to Shetland,” McGregor said.

The solicitor encouraged Sheriff Cruickshank to call for a criminal justice social work report prior to sentencing.

But the sheriff felt it appropriate to give a sentence there and then.

“I have no doubt that you are in effect a drug mule,” he said.

The sheriff said the transportation of drugs to Shetland was an “all too recent occurrence, particularly by the use of the ferry”.

But he said that those involved in the supply of drugs should realise that the authorities in Shetland have powerful detection.

However, Sheriff Cruickshank noted in this instance it was through McGuire’s “own pain and agony” that the drugs were first detected.