Moray woman sentenced to community service for storing £7500 worth of amphetamine drugs

A MORAY woman who was storing drugs with a maximum value of almost £7,500 has received a community service order.

Lura McCrae of Ben Aigen Walk, Elgin had previously admitted being concerned in the supply of amphetamine at her home on January 21, 2022.

When the 40-year-old single mother of two appeared before Sheriff David Harvie at Inverness Sheriff Court, he remembered her, having already placed her on a community payback order for a previous offence.

Sheriff Harvie was told by fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh that police with a search warrant had raided McCrae's home and searched it and a car, discovering a number of bags of white powder, which was later confirmed as amphetamine.

The class B drugs, totalling 742 grams had a maximum street value of £7485 and were reportedly being stored for McCrae’s now ex-partner.

Defence solicitor Scott Mcquire told the court: "She referred herself to counselling and is no longer using drugs. Her involvement was against a deterioration in her mental health.

"She was asked to look after the substances, put under pressure by her former partner. But she accepts she made a choice.

"It was a less than happy relationship and she is no longer involved with the individual concerned."

Sheriff Harvie told McCrae: "I am pleased to hear that you have made significant progress and you are co-operating with the support put in place for you. I have no wish to interfere with that."

He placed McCrae under social work supervision for two years and ordered her to complete 187 hours of unpaid community work within a year.