Court / Man given 18-month prison term for couriering heroin to Lerwick
A MAN from Kelty who was caught bringing heroin with a street value of nearly £25,000 to Shetland has been sent to prison for 18 months.
Sean Penman, 43, previously admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug at the Aberdeen and Lerwick ferry terminals, and on board the NorthLink ferry Hrossey, on 13 and 14 January this year.
Penman also gave a fake name when asked to provide his details by police and was caught with a “friction lock baton” – typically used by police officers.
Lerwick Sheriff Court previously heard how police had received intelligence about Penman and were waiting at the town’s ferry terminal for him on the morning of 14 January.
They found 246.80 grams of diamorphine in the car, which could have achieved a total value of £24,680 if broken down into its smallest possible quantities and sold.
When asked to provide his details, Penman said his name was “Sean Smith”.
However, he did give his full name when asked again at the police station.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie previously told court that said Penman was someone living “a fairly chaotic life” in relation to drugs, and appeared to have been sent north on a “couriering exercise” to pay off a drug debt.
The case had previously been deferred to allow the preparation of a criminal justice social work report.
At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday for sentencing, defence agent Iain McCafferty said his client acknowledged the serious of the matter.
He said Penman was a user of heroin but things went “downhill” quickly after he became addicted to crack cocaine.
The decision to courier drugs to Shetland was an attempt to pay off debt, the court heard.
The plan to bring drugs north was also described as “not sophisticated”.
The defence agent suggested there was an alternative to custody – but this suggestion was not taken up by Sheriff Ian Cruickshank.
The sheriff accepted that Penman became involved in supply due to his own addiction, and that he was in effect a courier.
But he said heroin is a “pernicious substance” which can cause misery and death.
Sheriff Cruickshank also said he did not accept that Penman forgot that the friction lock baton was in his vehicle.
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