A former soldier from Dunfermline was jailed for 18 months after he was caught with cocaine worth £20,000.
David Notman, 33, claimed he was only acting as a courier to pay off a debt to dealers but a sheriff rejected his plea for leniency and said prison was the only appropriate sentence.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard £190,000 worth of the Class A drug was seized by police in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on April 19 last year.
Notman, of Black Loch Place, Dunfermline, and Stephen Gaffney, 40, of Blantyre, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Stopped with drugs
Scott O’Connor, prosecuting previously, said police officers received intelligence Gaffney had drugs and might be involved in a deal.
He told the court: “They went to the area about 3pm and saw a Volkswagen Golf. Notman was the driver.
“At this time Gaffney was walking towards the Golf with a supermarket carrier bag.
“He stopped and passed the bag through the open sunroof of the vehicle and the accused Notman drove away immediately.
“A decision was made to stop the vehicle for a search and Notman was detained.
“Officers recovered a block of white powder that tested positive for cocaine. It weighed 500g and had a value of approximately £20,000.”
Police then got a search warrant for Gaffney’s home.
Three taped blocks of cocaine, each weighing around 1k and bearing a clown logo, were found in a suitcase behind a wardrobe in a bedroom.
Mr O’Connor said the total estimated value of these was £170,000.
He added the values of blocks varied due to differing levels of purity.
Desperate courier
Notman’s lawyer said his client served in the army for six years but his mental health “deteriorated” when he left.
The solicitor explained: “He became involved in drug use and over time accumulated debt.
“He advises that he received threats and ultimately, was given the opportunity to act as a courier on the date of this offence in order to clear off that debt.
“He saw no alternative way out.
“This is his first offence involving drugs and he has, to his credit, made significant changes to his life since then.
“He secured employment with a welding fabrication company and has managed to avoid using drugs.”
Sentencing
Sheriff Liam Murphy said he could jail the men only if no other sentence was deemed appropriate.
He stated: “I take everything into account but the nature and gravity of the offence and the value of the Class A drugs, are such that only custody is appropriate.”
The sheriff told Notman he would have been jailed for 27 months but for his guilty plea at an early stage.
Gaffney was jailed for two years.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
