Man caught with £14,500 worth of heroin in Perth Prison
An inmate caught with £14,500 worth of heroin in Perth Prison has been jailed for almost three years.
Joseph Crawford's drug stash was discovered after prison officers searched his cell at the maximum security jail.
The 38-year-old from Dundee admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin at Perth Prison on 16 March last year.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court that Crawford had a number of previous convictions.
She said: "Prison officers saw another prisoner acting in a suspicious manner.
"He was asked to empty his pockets and four wraps were recovered.
"It had come from two other prisoners who had been admitted to the jail the previous night.
"The decision was made to search the cell of the accused and another.
"When they got into the cell the accused was sitting on the toilet trying to conceal something.
"He was taken hold of and two wraps were recovered."
The court was told that 29.06 grams of heroin were recovered with a maximum potential value of £14,500 in the prison system.
The fiscal said that this was thought to be the remainder of a larger amount of the drug.
Solicitor Paul Parker-Smith, defending, said: "At the time he was serving a four month sentence for shoplifting.
"His record is consistent with him having suffered a heroin addiction problem for ten years or longer.
"He was not responsible for bringing the drugs into the prison.
"When this other individual was moved to another hall, Mr Crawford was prevailed upon to look after these drugs.
"The fact it is in the prison setting is an aggravating factor."
Sheriff William Wood jailed Crawford for two years and 50 weeks and said: "At the age of 38 you really should understand that those who deal Class A drugs should expect a decent custodial sentence."