No further jail time on White drug charge

A Calgary woman won’t have to pay a fine or spend any time in jail after she was caught with illegal drugs earlier this year.

Meranda Dawn White has handed a conditional discharge last week in Lethbridge provincial court, where she pleaded guilty to one count of drug possession.

The 36-year-old woman was the driver of a vehicle police pulled over in Claresholm Feb. 3, after they discovered the licence plate was registered to a different vehicle. Police seized a pipe containing methamphetamine residue, and found a scale and 12 grams of meth in White’s purse. She and her three passengers were arrested.

The Crown and defence jointly recommended a 12-month conditional discharge, which will not result in a criminal record if White does not breach any of the conditions imposed on her. White, who, court was told, doesn’t have any previous criminal convictions, must behave herself, attend court when required, live at an approved residence, report any change of address and receive counselling for substance abuse and anything else deemed necessary by her probation officer.

Lethbridge lawyer Claudia Connolly pointed out White, a mother of two, is currently enrolled in a post-secondary training program, and may have difficulty working if she has a criminal record. Both defence and the Crown agreed a conditional discharge will not only be in White’s best interest, but will not be contrary to the public interest