A keen footballer who played for Scotland in an international charity tournament has been jailed for his role in a £41,000 drugs operation.
Michael Gibson, from Dundee, agreed to traffic crack cocaine for crime lords in London so he could buy birthday presents for his daughter.
The 37-year-old was caught by police on the A90 in Perthshire, after detectives received a tip-off about his movements.
But just months later, Gibson was caught peddling crack at a safe house in Landsdowne Road, Lochee.
Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been working to pay back underworld bosses to make up for the last stash that was seized by cops.
Gibson, of Kirk Street, Dundee, appeared in court via video link and admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine on November 30 2020, and February 5 last year.
The father-of-two, who was a star player for Street Soccer Scotland, also admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin.
The court heard the drugs recovered on both occasions had a street value of around £41,000.
‘Flagrant’ offending
Sheriff William Wood told Gibson: “You appreciate the seriousness of these charges.
“The court has to take a dim view in the fact that you were so flagrant in carrying out a further offence at the time you were on bail in respect of your first one.”
He said: “You knew exactly what you were doing.
“You knew you were transporting drugs and you were doing so for financial gain.
“I am satisfied that only a custodial sentence is appropriate and given the amount of drugs involved, it will be a significant one.”
Gibson was sentenced to 42 months.
Police were waiting…
Solicitor Ross Bennet, defending, told the court: “He tells me that he was contacted by persons in the London area through contacts in Dundee and asked to do a job.
“It was approaching his daughter’s birthday and he wanted to spend a little bit of money on her, so he agreed.
“He was given money in Dundee and travelled through to Glasgow to meet a person who was unknown to him.
“Mr Gibson handed the money over and was given the package.”
Mr Bennet said: “He was on his way back to Dundee when he was stopped, near Kinfauns.
“The police were obviously waiting for him.
“In fact, they said they had been given information from a source in Glasgow.”
The solicitor told the court: “That was the end of it, until a few weeks later when he was approached again.
“It was impressed upon him that because of the failure last time, it was expected that he would again participate.
“He was initially reluctant but he went along with it.”
‘Benevolent streak’
The court heard a safe house in Landsdowne Court was used to store the drugs.
When he was caught by police on the second occasion, he had a set of keys for the property.
Mr Bennet said: “Rather amazingly, for someone with such a record he does not have a previous conviction for drugs.
“He has never had a drugs habit.”
He added: “There is a benevolent streak in Mr Gibson.
“He engages in a charitable organisation called Street Soccer and he played for Scotland last year in a tournament.
“He was quite a proficient footballer when he was younger.”
Street Soccer Scotland uses football to support and give hope to men and women from socially disadvantaged groups.
Mr Bennet said: “He is realistic about what is going to happen to him today.
“He describes his actions as stupid, and that’s perhaps something of an understatement.
“He regrets what he did.”
Tell-tale texts
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney previously told the court Gibson was pulled over by police on the A90, near Kinfauns.
Gibson told them: “You know what I’ve got. It’s in my right pocket.”
A wrap of 117kg of cocaine was recovered.
“Mr Sweeney said it had a street value of around £17,000.
Tell-tale text messages were also found on Gibson’s phone.
The court heard officers were informed about the Landsdowne Road safehouse in early 2021.
He was found with nearly £20,000 of crack cocaine and his DNA was found on heroin packages worth £3,000.
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