A drug dealer who stashed £10,000 worth of cannabis in his unsuspecting 79-year-old grandmother’s house has been jailed for three years.
Paul Henderson hid 40 blocks of cannabis resin in a bedroom at the pensioner’s home in Dundee.
The OAP was forced to deny any involvement in supplying drugs when cops raided her home.
Henderson – who previously served a five year term for dealing heroin and has now racked up four separate convictions for dealing drugs – was found in the property and later admitted being responsible for the package.
Forensic officers said the stash was worth up to £10,000 in street level deals.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “At about 8.15am on May 20 a search warrant was executed at the home address of the accused’s 79-year-old grandmother.
“A full search of the property was thereafter undertaken during which a backpack containing forty blocks of cannabis resin was recovered from a cupboard in the bedroom and a knife with cannabis resin on the blade was found under the sofa in the living room.
“The accused’s grandmother attended at the locus during the search.
“She denied any knowledge of the items recovered but confirmed that the accused was sometimes present within the property whilst she was out.
“He was taken to Police Headquarters in Dundee where he was later interviewed.
“He admitted ownership of all items recovered from his grandmother’s property.
“He claimed that the cannabis resin found within the backpack was being stored by him on behalf of another individual in order to pay off a drugs debt.”
Henderson, 38, of Burnside Gardens, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to being concerned in the supply of drugs at Caldrum Terrace, Dundee, on May 20 this year.
Defence solicitor John Boyle said: “He’s aware a custodial sentence is inevitable.
“He had run up a fairly significant drug debt and was told if he looked after the bag that would be reduced substantially.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Henderson for three years, reduced from four years and six months for his early plea.
He said: “You know the score – with your record this has to be a high starting point.”
