A drug dealer caught with almost £35,000 worth of heroin and cocaine has been locked up.
Neil Doyle claimed he turned to a life of crime to raise money to buy a headstone for his friend’s grave.
The 25-year-old first offender has been jailed for nearly four years after he admitted being concerned in the supply of the drugs from his home on Dundee’s Arklay Terrace between April 6 and May 11 2020.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane said: “This area of the country is blighted with Class A drugs and other controlled substances.
“While the report says you do not take controlled substances, you were quite content to supply substances into the community.
“There was a considerable financial benefit for you.”
‘Nasty’
Depute fiscal Lora Apostolova told Dundee Sheriff Court previously: “Police attended Arklay Street in relation to intelligence that a car may be linked to the transportation of controlled drugs.
“The black Vauxhall Corsa was parked. Two men – one of whom was the accused – went in the car.
“The accused was on the driver’s side and he was detained.
“He was asked if he was in possession of anything and he gestured with his head, nodded towards his leg and said ‘nasty’.
“Police recovered a brown parcel.”
She added: “Asked what it was, he again said, ‘nasty – it’s brown, heroin.
“It’s got nothing to do with the other lads. It’s all on me. Nothing to do with my pal’.
“His phone was taken away and he was arrested.
“A search warrant was obtained and a full search of his home was carried out.”
‘Working man’
Officers found nearly 200g of cocaine with a potential street value of £18,700 along with £15,000 worth of heroin and other drug paraphernalia.
Solicitor Doug McConnell said Doyle, now a prisoner of HMP Perth, accepted he would be facing a lengthy jail stint.
“He is usually a working man,” Mr McConnell said.
“It was a completely stupid choice to go down this path.
“He understands there’s a substantial value of the drugs and people who take drugs are vulnerable.”
Doyle was sentenced to a total of 194 weeks in prison