Mum cries in court days after death of daughter Meighan

Drug fears over tragic teen

A GRIEVING mum broke down in tears in the dock yesterday after a court heard her teenage daughter died suddenly at the weekend.

Katrina Boyle, 35, sobbed as she awaited sentence at Selkirk Sheriff Court for assaulting a 16-year-old boy in a supermarket.

The Crown offered to adjourn the case following the death of her 17-year-old daughter Meighan Reid on Saturday morning. It is suspected the death was drug-related.

But defence lawyer Ross Dow said that despite her loss, his client wanted the case dealt with so it was not hanging over her. He added: “Unfortunately there was a development over the weekend and her daughter died.”

Graham Fraser, prosecuting, said Boyle had entered the Tesco store in Peebles on the evening of April 22 with Meighan and there was a confrontation with a 16-year-old male.

He described how Boyle punched him in the face, causing his lip to bleed.

No details were given in court on why she assaulted the teenager.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre told Boyle of Cademuir Drive, Peebles: “I am very sorry to hear about your daughter.”

He gave her a 12-month community payback order with supervision and a drug treatment requirement.

Police have not divulged any more details of Saturday’s incident or officially confirmed Meighan’s name.

Meighan’s body was found at a house in Innerleithen, Peeblesshire. A nearby phone box was cordoned off but it’ s not known if it was linked to the death.

Police said they were probing the tragedy, adding that it was “being treated as unexplained, however the circumstances are not believed to be suspicious”.