A man who agreed to look after a safe for a friend ended up being convicted of being concerned in the supply of heroin worth more than £17,000.
Arthur Harvey allowed his friend, Michael Horsburgh, who has since died of a drugs overdose, to bring the safe to his girlfriend’s house, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
The court heard that although Harvey did not know there was heroin inside the safe, he was aware it was being used as part of a drugs operation and probably held money from drugs deals.
Harvey, of Dryburgh Gardens, admitted the offence, on June 20 last year, at Yarrow Terrace.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the court Harvey had previous convictions for assault, breach of the peace, breach of community payback order, misuse of drugs, theft and fraud.
She said police acting on information attended at the home address of Harvey’s girlfriend Sandra Craig, who was also his former co-accused but whose plea of not guilty was accepted by the Crown.
Both Harvey and Ms Craig were in the house along with an associate when police found a bag containing brown powder, which was diamorphine, and traces of the drug were found on a set of scales.
The safe was then found in the bedroom and it was forced open by officers, who found several bags of brown powder, found to be heroin and weighing a total of 346 grammes, worth a maximum of £17,000 if cut into £10 bags.
Solicitor Jim Caird said Harvey had a drug problem on and off over the years.
He said he was pressurised by Horsburgh to look after the safe.
“It wasn’t even his house but he appreciates how stupid he was,” Mr Caird said, adding that the friend was being bullied and threatened by people in the drugs scene.
Mr Caird said there had been discussions and arguments over the safe the previous night but Harvey assumed there was only money in it.
“He knew, however, that this matter was entirely connected with drugs, but he had no idea what was in the safe apart from money,” said Mr Caird.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred Harvey’s sentence for reports and a restriction of liberty order until June 11 and continued his bail order.
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