Court / Man given prison term for drugs supply
A MAN who was involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine which could have had a potential combined value of nearly £13,000 has been given a 22-month prison sentence.
Alexander Chalmers, 33, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, previously admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drugs at two addresses in Lerwick and Tingwall on 2 April.
He had also pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally obstructing two police officers who wanted to search him for controlled drugs at Lerwick’s King Harald Street on the same day.
Lerwick Sheriff Court on heard on Wednesday that the cocaine confiscated had a potential street value of £1,610 while the heroin seized by police officers was valued at £11,200 if broken down into the smallest amounts.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank had requested a criminal justice social work report prior to sentencing, with Chalmers remanded in custody in the meantime.
At the court on Wednesday for sentencing, procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said two police officers on patrol had seen Chalmers with a rucksack shortly after midnight in Lerwick – having had recent intelligence that he was involved in drugs at an address in town.
The court heard that when police approached him, Chalmers was evasive – as well as “pale, clammy and sweating”.
Mackenzie said Chalmers had become aggressive and belligerent, and attempted to walk away from officers.
He was prevented from doing so and was held against a wall by officers, with a struggle ensuing.
Mackenzie said at one point a police officer drew out a taser and “red dotted” Chalmers, who went to the ground.
The court heard that he then resisted attempts to place handcuffs on him – with a “violent struggle” then taking place.
One police officer received a graze and a cut, with another suffered cuts to her hand.
The fiscal said around 16 grams of cocaine and cash were found in his pocket, with roughly 224 grams of heroin in his rucksack. Drug paraphernalia was found at his home address.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said Chalmers had been on a “downward spiral” at the time, which led to drug use and then supply.
He said his client had been in a situation that “he could not get out of”.
However, Allan said Chalmers being on remand in prison since April has been a “break” in this behaviour and said he has done well in jail – adding that he is now looking forward to a future that is drug free.
“He wants to get his life on track,” the defence agent said.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the value of drugs involved – potentially up to around £12,800 – was “not insubstantial”.
He described Chalmers as a “relatively little cog” in the drug supply chain but said these cogs are needed for the machine to operate.
In addition to the 22-month prison sentence, which was backdated to when Chalmers first entered custody on the matter on 3 April, Sheriff Cruickshank also granted forfeiture of the items seized by police.
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