A drug user found with more than £12,000 of cocaine was forced to deal the Class A drug in order to pay off mounting debts.
Jamie Gaffney was locked up after he admitted being concerned in the supply of the drug on Ashmore Street, Dundee.
The city’s sheriff court was told how the 22-year-old was threatened by those higher up the drug chain.
Police discovered the drugs after being tipped-off that a firearm was being stored in the address.
Although no weapon was discovered, the officers did not leave empty-handed after discovering bags of cocaine, scales and paraphernalia.
Sheriff Paul Brown said: “I have to consider your blameworthiness along with the harm caused.
“I am persuaded your role was a lesser one due to the pressure you were under, your immaturity and the limited expectation of financial advantage.
“The offence, however, is too serious in my view for a non-custodial sentence to be appropriate.”
Kiaya Thomson, Gaffney’s partner, was originally charged with dealing cocaine but her not guilty plea was accepted by the Crown.
Drugs and equipment found
Fiscal depute Marie Lyons told Dundee Sheriff Court how police executed a warrant after receiving information that Gaffney was in possession of a firearm.
She told the court: “Officers attended at around 9.35am.
“The accused and his partner were arrested and taken to police offices so the property could be searched.
“From a bedroom, police recovered £320 cash, black scales containing white powder, a bag with a black bag of powder and paraphernalia and a bag containing a white substance.”
One of the bags of white substance was found to be 124.71g of cocaine with a maximum potential value of more than £12,000.
The other bag containing white powder was found to be benzocaine, a cutting agent for cocaine, weighing 47.72g.
Traces of cocaine were discovered on the scales, which officers believed were used to sub-divide the drug.
‘He got into a pretty bad situation’
Gaffney, of Melfort Place, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine on May 14 2020 at an address on Ashmore Street.
Jim Caird, defending, said: “He takes full responsibility and seems to have considerable insight into this matter.
“He was taking cocaine, getting into debt, selling to friends, getting into further debt and was ultimately threatened by those from whom he had obtained the drugs from.
“He got into a pretty bad situation.”
Gaffney was sentenced to 13 months in prison.
