Heroin dealer to remain in custody
A Liverpool man who pleaded guilty to bringing heroin into Shetland on 28th March appeared from custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
The court heard that Ian Byrne, 39, a prisoner in Aberdeen, had been met by police when he arrived on the NorthLink ferry following the receipt of confidential information.
Byrne, a father of eight who said he did not use heroin himself, was taken to Lerwick Police Station and strip searched and eventually produced two packets of heroin, weighing nearly 28 grammes, from his rectum. When broken down into deals the drugs would realise £4,000.
Byrne confirmed he had been given them by a man in Liverpool and had agreed to transport them to Shetland for £250, but refused to say who the drugs were being delivered to because of a threat of violence to his family.
Sheriff Graeme Napier said Byrne should be under no illusion that the sheriff took “very seriously” the link between Shetland and Liverpool, and knew Shetland was being targeted. He said the only way he could stem that was to impose as long a sentence of imprisonment as he could, but deferred sentence until 3rd June for reports.
Byrne was remanded in custody.
