TWO FIFE brothers concerned in the supply of drugs were jailed at the High Court in Dunfermline yesterday.

Lord Macphail sentenced Dale Patterson Lamont (36), of Rannoch Road, Methil, to seven years’ imprisonment and his brother William Ward Lamont (43), of Paterson’s Court, Broxburn, to three years after a jury delivered guilty verdicts on all charges.

The brothers were found guilty of being concerned in the supply of heroin on April 15 last year at White Swan Brae, Buckhaven, and Memorial Court, Methil, elsewhere in Fife and Lothian and Borders.

They were also found guilty of, on the same day, obstructing police officers and running away from them in an attempt to evade a search at Memorial Court.

Dale Lamont was found guilty of a further charge of bursting open a bag of heroin while travelling in a police vehicle in an attempt to dispose of the class A drug, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Members of the jury unanimously found Dale Lamont guilty of all three charges against him.

They found William Lamont guilty by majority.

After the jury delivered their verdict the court heard the pair had 85 previous court appearances between them.

Both brothers had previous convictions for crimes of dishonesty, including theft by housebreaking.

Dale Lamont had made 35 previous court appearances, two of which related to drugs offences.

In March 2000 he pled guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to a charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin and was imprisoned for three years and nine months.

In July 2003 he was convicted of possession with intent to supply a class A drug at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and imprisoned for 21/2 years.

His brother William Lamont had previously been in court 50 times.

In July 1995 he was tried by a sheriff and jury and found guilty of housebreaking, assault and robbery.

He was given a three-year prison sentence.

During the trial, the jury heard evidence from a police officer who took the two in a van to Kirkcaldy police station.

DC Kevin Petrie (36) said he saw brown powder coming out when he opened the police van to check what Dale Lamont and William Lamont were doing.

En route a colleague said the prisoners appeared to be shuffling their feet.

DC Petrie said he pulled over. When he opened the door Dale Lamont was stamping on what appeared to be a polythene bag.

Dale Lamont appeared to be trying to kick brown powder from the back of the van.