A dealer who tried to get his sister to take the blame for a haul of drugs he amassed has been locked up.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Steven Towers offered to pay the woman to destroy or remove drugs and money from a house on Mains Drive last May.
Police found thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and more than £16,000 in cash when they raided the property.
Towers repeatedly insisted that his sister was the person responsible – despite his DNA being found all over the evidence.
A sheriff today jailed Towers for more than two years with prosecutors now looking to seize further assets from the 27-year-old.
Sheriff Tom Hughes said: “Anyone involved in dealing with drugs, the court have to take that very seriously.
“Furthermore, there was the charge where you tried to have this covered up by someone else taking the blame for you.
“In all of these circumstances, custody is inevitable.”
Towers first came to the attention of officers after he was seen driving in the street. Towers was searched and found to have £885 on him but was allowed on his way.
Officers obtained a search warrant of the home where Towers’ sister and partner were both in attendance.
His sister voluntarily stated that there were drugs in the house and cocaine was discovered in a child’s bedroom.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said previously: “A couple of loose floorboards were removed to the foundation of the house, about 4ft in height and in a vast open space.
“Officers climbed down to search and found two plastic bags which the witness said ‘that will be coke’ but it was two substantial bags of money.”
A “tick list”, traces of drugs and scales were also recovered as well as further bundles of cash. The total value of the money was £16,810.
Towers’ fingerprints were found on both the drugs and money. The value of the cocaine was given as worth up to £2,300 and weighing 33.74g. Cannabis worth around £110 was also discovered.
His sister’s phone was analysed and showed various texts indicating that Towers had drugs and money at the house. Towers asked his sister to take responsibility for having the drugs.
Towers, of Dundonald Street, previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis on Mains Drive on May 31 last year.
He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by sending his sister text messages offering to pay her to destroy evidence and pretending that she was responsible for the offences.
Towers returned to the dock from custody for sentencing following the preparation of social work reports. Defence solicitor Gary McIlravey said that Towers had been struggling with his period on remand, particularly in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sheriff Hughes jailed Towers for 27 months which was backdated to March when he was first remanded in custody.
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