Woman jailed for possession of knife in Inverness street
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard a woman was seen with a knife after falling back into drug use.
Depute fiscal Kevin Corrans said on June 13 a witness in Anderson Street saw Melissa Spears (33) leaning against a fence and "an exchange of words followed".
He said she went to her grandmother's address in the street, returned and leaned against the fence at which point nearby householders saw she had a knife.
They contacted the police and Spears's grandmother came out and ushered her away.
She was later traced by police.
Spears, of Kessock Avenue, Inverness, also admitted that by being in Anderson Street she had breached an earlier bail order that instructed her not to enter the street.
A further breach of a curfew condition was also admitted.
On September 9, the court was told, she failed to answer her door to police checking that she was at home as required.
She admitted the breach despite her solicitor, Rory Gowans, explaining to the court that she had been under sedation at the time, in connection with a knee injury.
Mr Gowans said his client had offended in the past but had benefited from a previous prison sentence, refraining from crime for four years afterwards.
She became involved in offending again, he said, after she relapsed into drug use.
Spears was sentenced to four months imprisonment for possession of the knife and a further four months for the breaches of bail.
"Once detoxed in prison I am sure she will keep out of trouble," Mr Gowans said.
