Woman jailed after drugs are discovered by police in raid on house

Sep 24 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A WEST Lothian woman who tried to hide drugs belonging to her partner from police officers searching her home has been jailed by a local court.

Police officers raided Cindy Hannah’s home in Whitburn just after 2.30pm on March 27 this year after her lover was arrested on drugs charges, the court was told.

No one was home when they carried out their search but police officers found bags and jars of cannabis.

Fiscal depute Lisa McCloy told Livingston Sheriff Court that Hannah came back while police were still searching the home and was arrested.

The 47-year-old finance manager was taken to Livingston and interviewed by officers in connection with the discovery of drugs in the house.

However, Hannah told officers that there were still more drugs in the house and went back with them to her home.

There the police officers found yet more cannabis and a white block which later turned out to be cocaine, the sheriff court was told.

Ms McCloy also told the sheriff court that the class A drug weighed 53g and was worth £2800 while there was ten ounces of cannabis worth £1465.

Last week at the sheriff court Hannah, whose address was given as Murraysgate Crescent, Whitburn, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.

Her solicitor, Alan Jackson, told the court that his client had no previous convictions and had spent three days in custody on remand for the offence.

Mr Jackson added: “Otherwise she is a woman who holds down a good job.

“She became involved in a relationship with a man and on March 26 he was arrested.

“He had been living with her and she had moved the drugs around in the home to try and avoid detection.

“When she was arrested she thought better of the situation and told the officers where the drugs were hidden.

“The position is that after a thorough search they had not found these items and if they had been her drugs it seems likely the last thing she would have done is tell the police officers about these drugs.

“But to her credit she went back with them and told them where they were.

“She is aware that these are serious charges and the convictions themselves will reflect badly on her.

“She is a finance manager and has a considerable income and could pay a significant financial penalty.”

But Sheriff Donald Muirhead said the offence was too serious for a fine adding that he had a duty to send a message out to the community.

Jailing Hannah for 57 days Sheriff Muirhead said: “I think you will understand that being concerned in the supply of a class A drug is a very serious matter.

“You can be very sure that if the very substantial mitigating circumstances had not applied to you then you would be facing a considerable time in custody.

“The particular circumstances have obviously reduced your responsibility substantially but you were still living with a man who had class A drugs as part of his manner of existence.

“Then in a rather misguided attempt to minimise the problem for him when he was arrested you moved these drugs around.”I have a duty to take into account your personal circumstances and the exact circumstances of this offence.

“But I also have a duty to send a message to the community that being concerned in the supply of any class A drugs is a very serious matter.

“Taking all the circumstances into account I regret to say that I feel that nothing but a custodial sentence is appropriate.”