A cannabis user who was ordered to pick up £30,000 of cocaine to help pay off his dealer’s debt has been locked up.
John Stewart felt he had no choice but to obey the orders of a criminal gang after he and his partner were threatened.
Police pulled over Stewart’s Honda Civic in Brechin and found a package containing more than 300g of the Class A drug.
The 41-year-old believed there was only money in the package, which he had picked up from Inverness.
Stewart also pled guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Prosecutors have now making efforts to claw back £11,000 of drug money from Stewart after lodging a confiscation order with the court.
Sheriff slams drug trade involvement
Sheriff Gregor Murray jailed Stewart and slated his involvement with the drugs trade.
He said: “Your record shows that you have been involved with drugs over an extended period.
“The second charge arose from your long-standing involvement in the supply of cannabis.
“Those involved in the supply of drugs can expect little sympathy from the courts.
“It has a significant effect on society, families and communities.
“Those involved deserve to be punished and can’t expect anything other than a custodial sentence.”
Takeaway driver pulled over
Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova previously explained how police following Stewart pulled over his car on the B966 Trinity road, Brechin.
“A cursory search found an Asda carrier bag with cash and white powder suspected to be controlled substances.
“Officers later obtained a search warrant for the accused’s home on Montrose Street, Brechin but no items were recovered.
“£220 was seized from a handbag.
“The accused was interviewed and said he was a delivery driver for a takeaway in Arbroath.
“The accused appeared surprised at the value of the cocaine and stated ‘that’s mental, that’s crazy’.”
When he was asked about the drugs in the package, Stewart said: “I didn’t know any drugs were in there,” before stating he thought money was in the package.
‘Out of his depth’ drug dealer
A search of Stewart’s phone found that he was actively involved in the sale of cannabis through an email address.
Slang words for cannabis were frequently used, as well as referring to the sale of a kilo of the Class B drug for £5,300.
Stewart, formerly of Bruce Road, Arbroath but now a prisoner of HMP Perth, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis on the B966 Trinity road, Brechin and elsewhere between December 24 2018 and April 29 2020.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine on April 29.
Solicitor Keith Sym said Stewart was “out of his depth” when it came to high-level drug dealing and felt he had no choice but to follow the orders from those higher up the chain.
He told the court: “Mr Stewart was a daily user of cannabis, buying it, selling it to friends but that was really just to fund his own use of cannabis.
“An associate of his from whom he had been purchasing cannabis had accrued a debt and disappeared.
“They were holding Mr Stewart responsible and threats were made to him and his partner.”
Mr Sym added: “He was then required to go to Inverness to pick up this package.
“He was well aware it involved the supply of drugs.
“He felt he had no alternative.”
Stewart was sentenced to three years in prison.
