Heroin Addict Begs Sheriff For Jail Sentence To Get Help

A Highland heroin addict yesterday begged a sheriff to send him to prison for a minor shoplifting offence so he could receive help with his drug problem.

The court heard that Jason Davidson, 29, had been driven to the desperate measure by the long delay facing heroin users waiting to get on a methadone programme in the region. And politicians last night called for increased investment to ensure help is available for people wanting to come off drugs.

Davidson, of 1 Cromarty Drive, Milton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Tain Sheriff Court to stealing a bottle of Southern Comfort from Milton Stores while on bail on November 5 last year. Sentence was deferred for three months for Davidson to be of good behaviour.

His solicitor Alison Foggo yesterday told the court her client had been seeking help at Osprey House drug rehabilitation centre in Inverness, and was waiting to start a methadone programme.

She said: “Osprey House has indicated to him that, such is the scarcity of places on the methadone programme in the north, it will be several months before he reaches the top of the waiting list.”

Ms Foggo said her client was so determined to overcome his problem that he believed the best way to do this was in Porterfield Prison, Inverness.

Sheriff David Sutherland sentenced him to four months’ imprisonment.

Nikki Fraser, of Inverness drugs agency Blast, last night said the only treatment centre in the region was Osprey House, which was unable to handle the increasing number of people seeking help.

An NHS Highland spokeswoman said individuals with a drug-misuse problem referred to Osprey House were offered an assessment appointment within one to two weeks. The assessment process could take two to four weeks and, if methadone was felt appropriate, it could be started within a further two to four weeks, but the time period could vary.

She said the average waiting time from the referral to the start of treatment had reduced from five weeks in April to June 2006, to two weeks in October to December 2006.

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Liberal Democrat MP John Thurso described Davidson’s situation as “a very tragic story”. “It seems to me, that anyone who wishes to be helped to kick drugs should receive that help. It is certainly something I will look into.”