SECOND CHARGE MEANS PRISON

A community-based sentence became a penitentiary stint when a
56-year-old woman was busted on new drug charges just hours after she
was sentenced on previous ones.

Laurel South had been given an 18-month conditional sentence on the
morning of Feb. 22, after pleading guilty to possession of marijuana
and Ritalin for the purpose of trafficking. She was released from
custody to serve her sentence in the community.

South was arrested later that day after police executed a search
warrant at her house on 7th Avenue East and discovered more drugs.

Paul Malone, an agent for the federal Crown, said police found 99
Talwin pills and 106 Ritalin pills in South's home, as well as cash,
drug paraphernalia and five cell phones.

South pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of Talwin and Ritalin for
the purpose of trafficking.

Talwin and Ritalin are popular injection drugs in Regina.

Defence lawyer Robert Skinner said South has a positive work record,
but encountered problems in her life after two severe car accidents
which left her with partial facial paralysis and severe arthritis.

"What Miss South did was a very, very foolish thing to do," he
said.

Provincial Court Judge Eugene Lewchuk agreed, and sentenced South to
serve out her 18-month conditional sentence in custody. She will serve
an additional 15 months on the new charges, for a total sentence of
nearly three years.

"It's a sad and unfortunate case at your age and disabilities to be
going to prison, but of course these are serious charges," Lewchuk
said.