Mother who turned house into drink and drugs den avoids jail

A MOTHER-OF-FIVE who supplied alcohol and cannabis to children as young as 11 after turning her house into a drinking den has escaped jail.

Louise Morrison took part in drinking sessions and smoked cannabis with the group of boys, who told their parents they were staying with friends.

The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of supplying drink and drugs to three boys, then aged 11, 14 and 15, and alcohol to another 13-year-old. During one of the drinking binges, she rolled a cannabis joint to smoke herself before passing it round.

Despite a warning she had faced a custodial sentence, Morrison was given 240 hours community service at Haddington Sheriff Court yesterday.

The youngsters were invited to Morrison's home in the town's Elm Street, and stayed overnight on one occasion. Suspicious parents finally called the police, who searched the house and arrested Morrison.

She admitted giving the youngsters alcohol but when asked how drunk she let them become, she said they were "not falling about the place". Worried police also alerted social workers after finding her home "extremely dirty" during their search.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of "willful neglect" which was likely to cause the children "unnecessary suffering or injury to health" by leaving prescribed medication lying around and using illegal drugs.

The court heard that Morrison allowed the boys to visit between August and October 2008 where they were supplied with alcohol while Morrison drank alongside them.

Depute fiscal Gavin Dawson said: "The home of the accused was visited six to eight times by the youngsters and during these visits, drink was supplied to them. She willingly gave it to them and encouraged them to come back to the house. They all drank enough so that they were, to a large degree, drunk.

"They also stayed overnight at the address and the children provided alibis for each other, saying they were staying with friends.

"On one occasion, the accused had cannabis resin. She rolled a cigarette for herself then provided it for the others."

Morrison's solicitor, Angela Craig, said her client was "living a chaotic lifestyle at that time" and felt "isolated and lacking support". Ms Craig added: "My client accepts that she showed a lack of judgement and she is extremely remorseful.

"She has taken whatever support has become available and shown a significant improvement. She does not have any alcohol in the house now. She is thoroughly ashamed of behaving in this way."

Sentencing Morrison, a first offender, Sheriff Daniel Kelly said: "Your actions were completely unacceptable. You were in a position of care when these young people were in your house.

"You were supposed to be looking after them but you were plying them with alcohol and even provided them with cannabis resin.

"The parents must have been aghast after finding out what was going on."