A key figure in the Arbroath drugs trade has been jailed for 40 months for his part in a £90,000 heroin seizure.
Billy Black was told by a sheriff that he had come close to being sent to the High Court for sentencing after the 35-year-old was convicted of supplying drugs for the fourth time.
Angus’s top policeman said that while he took no satisfaction from seeing someone go behind bars, he hoped the jail term would continue to send out the message to Black and others of the determined efforts being made to rid Angus of the scourge of drugs.
Black was arrested as part of a major operation in the Angus town last year, following the cooperation of his “associate” Donna Carnegie, who was last year jailed for 32 months for her involvement.
A number of bags of heroin were found at Carnegie’s home following a tip-off and Black’s fingerprints were on one of them.
Defence solicitor Sarah Russo told Arbroath Sheriff Court Black, of Strathairlie Avenue, Arbroath, had endured a childhood in a violent household and fallen into the world of drugs in his early twenties.
“He does not display any of the trappings of wealth that would normally be associated with a person at the top line of drug dealing,” added Mrs Russo.
“He would wish to get away from the drugs culture, but is under absolutely no illusion as to the reality of the situation he finds himself in.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Black: “You have pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of a very substantial amount of drugs, valued at £89,000. Giving very careful consideration to whether or not my sentencing powers are sufficient, I have come to the conclusion that they are, just.”
He imposed a 40-month sentence, discounted from 60 months in light of Black’s early plea to the indictment.
Police Scotland’s Angus divisional commander, Chief Inspector Gordon Milne, said: “Whilst we take no satisfaction seeing someone incarcerated, it gives us some pleasure to see that the hard work we have been doing in tackling drug crime has put this person away.
“As far as we know, he has been involved in the trafficking of heroin into Arbroath and Angus for some time.
“You cannot quantify the amount of death and misery that has caused, but I hope he takes some time to reflect on that during this prison sentence,” Mr Milne said.