Drugs found at home of aristocrat and former Government advisor

Police seized almost £600 worth of illegal drugs from the home of an aristocrat and former Scottish Government advisor.

In a bizarre chain of events, Robert Oliphant Maxtone-Graham himself alerted the authorities to the cannabis haul in a bid to land a former friend in trouble.

Glenalmond educated Maxtone-Graham, the 18th of Cultoquhey, once served on the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on tourism and renewable energy.

During an appearance in the dock on Wednesday, however, Perth Sheriff Court was told he was now something of an odd-job man and struggled for work.

Sheriff Fiona Tait was told that an unnamed party had apparently “gifted” 137.6 grammes of cannabis to the 57-year-old to support his “occasional” usage of the class B drug.

When the pair later fell out, however, Maxtone-Graham contacted police only to find himself arrested after officers visited his Blairgowrie home.

Maxtone-Graham, of Abernyte Road, Balbeggie, admitted being in possession of cannabis resin on dates between September 1 and October 2 last year.

He was fined £360 for the offence and ordered to pay the sum at a rate of £20 a month, given his restricted income.