Community service for Alness mum who blew benefits on cannabis
A YOUNG Alness mum who used her benefits to buy cannabis with intent to supply it to others has been placed on a four-month curfew and ordered to carry out 80 hours community service.
Tain Sheriff Court heard on Monday that Kelly Ann Duffus had given birth to her second child since sentence was deferred at a previous hearing.
The 28-year-old from Milnafua, Alness had admitted on August 23 being in possession of cannabis with intent to supply to others.
The court had previously been told she was in receipt of £1,000 per month in benefits including tax credits, disability living allowance and incapacity and child benefit.
Two bars of resin worth between £500 and £600, but with a potential street value of £1,300, were found under her stairs during a police raid on her home.
The court heard from Duffus’s solicitor Alison Foggo the various benefits were paid to her over a month and one of the benefits amounted to £300.
She used that to purchase one bar one month and the following month purchased another bar.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist asked how she could afford to buy the drugs and Ms Foggo told him she was prioritising it over household expenses because she was dependant on the drug herself at that time.
The solicitor said the police raid had proved a turning point as she had moved to a different tenancy in Milnafua and moved in with a family friend who had helped wean her off the drug.
This week Ms Foggo said Duffus had now given birth to her second child and the report from social workers indicated she was no longer using the drug. The solicitor appealed for a non-custodial sentence.
Sheriff Gilchrist told Duffus she had pleaded guilty to a serious charge but he was persuaded he could deal with the case by sentencing her to 80 hours of community service.
Duffus was also placed on a restriction of liberty order for a period of four months between 8pm and 7am.
