A Bannockburn brother and sister who had been involved in the supply of street valium from a house in the town both escaped a jail term last week.
James Brown (45) and 35-year-old Janerie Currie had pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of the class-C drug Etizolam at Ms Currie’s address at The Firs.
Brown, of St Anne’s Crecsent, however, had been involved for one day, March 10, 2019, while his half-sister had been involved for just under a fortnight – between February 28 and March 10, 2019.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that the street value of the drug had been £650.
Brown’s lawyer Virgil Crawford told the court that the Etizolam had been for his client’s personal use. Brown had gone to the house at The Firs where his sister was with two other people.
He had carried Etizolam there where he consumed some of the drug. The remainder of the drug was for others to use.
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Mr Crawford added: “His position is he wasn’t dealing, he was using. He took drugs there and left them for someone else. That is part of the supply chain and he has to accept that. That’s the basis on which the plea was tendered.”
Brown had further admitted a charge of driving while disqualified at The Firs on March 10, 2019, and a charge of possessing amphetamine on Bannockburn Road on June 22, 2020.
The class-B drug was worth £30.
Currie’s agent Alastair Ross told the court following the street valium offence before the court she had received a custodial sentence in relation to a similar matter.
A criminal justice social work report however was “positive” and she was receiving assistance for her own drug difficulties.
An alternative to custody was available, and Mr Ross added: “Were it not for the age of the offence, I might not have to offer alternatives to custody.”
Currie’s not guilty pleas to further charges, of being concerned in the supply of heroin at The Firs address between February 21, 2019, and March 10, 2019, and possession of amphetamine there on March 10, 2019, had been accepted by the Crown.
Sheriff Keith O’Mahony told both accused –taking into consideration the class of the drug, the age of the offence and the pleas in mitigation said on their behalf – that he was persuaded to impose a non-custodial sentence.
He noted however that Brown had a number of previous convictions and Currie, while admitting carrying out the street valium offence over a longer period, had fewer previous convictions “albeit one very recent one”.
Sheriff O’Mahony therefore imposed a Restriction of Liberty Order, confining them to their homes between the hours of 7pm and 7am each day for five weeks.
Brown was also banned from driving for 16 months on the charge of driving while disqualified.
