A Dundee drug dealer who attempted to raise funds for his mother’s funeral with a £16K cocaine operation has been jailed.
Liam Forbes was previously warned to prepare for prison after he admitted getting caught with a jar stuffed full of the illicit class A substance at his Craigmore Street home.
The 28-year-old told Dundee Sheriff Court his mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and he was raising money to cover the cost of her funeral arrangements.
Forbes, who again turned up to court wearing a hoodie with photographs of his mother on it, has a previous conviction for being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Sheriff Paul Brown jailed him for 13 months.
Mitigation
Sentencing had been deferred for the preparation of background reports.
Solicitor James Laverty said: “The report, I would submit, is a positive report.
“We have a gentleman who expresses remorse in relation to being involved in the offending.
“He indicates an understanding of the seriousness of the position that he has placed himself in and he accepts full responsibility.
“All I think I can indicate to your lordship is quite clearly from my discussions and also the circumstances of the offences here, he was obviously at very low point in his life at this particular time.
“That choice that he made was against that particular background.
“He regrets that.”
Mr Laverty asked that a “robust” community order be made.
Sheriff Brown imposed a custodial sentence.
He told Forbes: “I’ve listened carefully to everything Mr Laverty has said on your behalf.
“I note all the points of mitigation.”
He reduced Forbes’ prison sentence from 18 months to 13 months, following an early guilty plea.
Raid
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion previously told the court: “At 8 am on 17 October 2022, police attended to execute a drugs search warrant at his home.
“The accused answered the door.
“Officers recovered a jar containing six bags of white crystal material.
“The collective potential street value of the cocaine recovered was £16,200.
“The accused admitted his intention was to sell cocaine to fund the cost of his late mother’s funeral.”
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