A first offender caught with almost £900 worth of the illegal party drug ‘bubbles’ was told he had come “perilously close” to prison.
Police acting on a tip-off found nearly 175 capsules of mephedrone in Kevin Thomson’s Forfar home, which the 31-year-old became involved in dealing after falling out of work.
Thomson himself admitted to police that the situation was “getting too much” and after receiving a 200-hour community service order yesterday was told by a sheriff that only the absence of previous convictions has saved him from going to jail.
MOT tester Thomson, of West High Street in Forfar, admitted that between June 10 and September 10 at his home address he was concerned in supplying the class B drug mephedrone.
He also admitted two charges of possessing class C compounds, namely benzylpiperazine and methandienon, on September 10.
Fiscal depute Hannah Kennedy told the court police obtained a search warrant for the accused’s home after receiving confidential information relating to drug activities.
When the drugs were found Thomson told police, “If you’d come on Monday I would have had nothing left. It was getting too much.”
Defence agent Bob Bruce said his client was a man who had always worked but had been “entirely foolish” during a period where he was not in employment.
Sentencing Thomson, Sheriff Kevin Veal said, “The value of the drugs is almost £900 which is quite a lot. Fortunately he is a first offender but it is mephedrone and he is perilously close to a prison sentence.
“Only because there is a direct alternative to custody available will I impose a community service order for 200 hours.”
The sheriff also ordered forefeiture of a mobile phone and £720 in cash which was found by police during the search.