Woman tried to smuggle heroin to prisoner in West Lothian jail - but they had already been released

A woman has admitted trying to smuggle a Class A drug into a privately run West Lothian prison - but the prisoner had already been released.

Livingston Sheriff Court.

Sharon MacLean pled guilty to concealing heroin on her with the intention of giving it to a prisoner at HMP Addiewell.

MacLean, of Holytown in North Lanarkshire, changed her plea on the morning she was due to stand trial at Livingston Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Livingston Sheriff Court.

The court was told she was a first offender with no previous criminal record.

Gavin Lawson, defending, said there were particular circumstances in the case which greatly mitigated the offence.

He revealed that the prisoner to whom his client was supposed to deliver the drug had been released before she got to the prison.

In addition, he said, the same man had later gone to MacLean’s home and assaulted her violently to her injury.

Sheriff John McRitchie called for criminal justice social work reports on MacLean’s background and deferred sentence until 12 September.

He allowed her bail to continue.