Mum took drugs into Polmont Young Offenders

A mum had drugs on her when she visited her son who was serving a sentence in Polmont Young Offenders Institution.

Louise Bayne (48) had a plastic wrap of six diazepam tablets, also known as jellies, in her possession when she was stopped and searched by officers at the Redding Road, Brightons prison. She claimed she simply forgot she had them with her when she entered the premises.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Bayne had previously pled guilty to attempting to bring the drugs into the YOI on December 18 last year.

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The court heard Bayne had two sons and her youngest was serving a custodial sentence in Polmont YOI at the time of the offence.

The mum also claimed she had difficulty attending court appointments because of her sciatica and on one day in particular, October 20, she could not get to court at all because the pain was so bad and she was having to travel from the East Lothian area.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell was informed Bayne’s GP had written a letter on her behalf but Bayne could not produce it.

Sheriff Caldwell took these matters into account when he came to decide Bayne’s punishment.

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He said: “You should have known better than to take this substance into the prison estate. Saying you forgot you had them is greeted with some scepticism by me and others.”

Sheriff Caldwell placed Bayne, 225a North High Street, Musselburgh, on a community payback order with the condition she complete 120 hours unpaid work within four months.