A drug-dealing serial offender who threatened to knife a policeman has been jailed for eight months.
Paul Dennis Matthews (43), of Strathmore Avenue, Forfar, was given four separate jail terms for drug and breach of the peace offences when he appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday.
Matthews, who has more than 60 previous convictions, had previously admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin at his then home in Glenogil Terrace between May 14 and June 4 this year.
His drug dealing habit came to light when police raided his home and found over £500 worth of heroin hidden in a children’s toy.
The court heard the police had called at Matthews’ home on the morning of June 4 armed with a search warrant after they received a tip-off about his dealing.
He immediately admitted having drugs and the officers discovered 23 wraps of heroin, worth £520, hidden in a Kinder Surprise egg.
Fiscal depute Hannah Kennedy said drug-dealing paraphernalia, such as mobile phones and scales, were also recovered. Police also found £25 in cash.
When quizzed about the drug haul, Matthews insisted they were for personal use and were not for sale to the public. His defence agent Bob Bruce repeated that argument in court.
“Clearly heroin is a problem, but anything he gets is going back into his arm,” he said. “There are no large quantities of money and no evidence of a lavish lifestyle. In fact quite the opposite. “He appreciates an offence of this nature means custody is on the table but the social work report does offer a glimmer of hope.”
Mr Bruce said Matthews had received a brain injury in 2002 during a violent attack and had been treated in Sunnyside mental hospital three times because of a battle with severe depression. He also said his client valued the drugs seized at £230, and not the £520 claimed by the Crown.
Matthews was on 80mls of methadone a day, he added, and had not taken heroin since he was placed on remand on June 4.
“Heroin was part of his life but he has shown he is capable of engaging [with social workers],” he said.
Jailing Matthews for six months on the drug dealing charge, Sheriff Kevin Veal blasted his record and said custody was unavoidable.
He said, “There are over 60 previous convictions. This offence was committed while you were on probation, the drug is Class A and the fact it was in 23 separate wraps is a clear indication you were concerned in its supply. I don’t think anything other than custody is appropriate.”
He also sentenced him to three 60-day sentences on a matter from last year.
Matthews was on two years probation for struggling with five police officers on March 6, 2009, and threatening to knife a special constable. That probation was yesterday scrapped and replaced with custodial terms by Sheriff Veal.