Brickie caught with cocaine

A bricklayer caught with cocaine worth £122,000 in his living room cupboard claimed he agreed to store the drugs to pay off a debt.

Kenneth Burns said he owed £10,000 to a man known only as Chuck and was looking for“a quick way out”.

Burns, 36, of Park Avenue, Holytown, admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug at his home in October 2019.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard police officers seized a block of cocaine weighing nearly a kilo and a bag containing almost 200g of the drug in powdered form.

Traces of cocaine were found on scales, a blender, sieve, plate and spoon in the kitchen.

Abby Seal, prosecuting, said:“the accused was interviewed at Motherwell police station and said he’d accrued a £10,000 drug debt to a male named Chuck approximately six months earlier.

“He had agreed to allow his home to be used for storing controlled drugs to assist paying back the debt. “It was a quick way out.

“He gave Chuck a key to the property.”

Dad of one Burns, who lives alone, has no previous convictions.

His fingerprints were found on the 1kg block of cocaine.

Defence agent Simon Gilmour told the court:“he accepts he had his hands on it, but it was only to move it after individuals brought it to his home.

““He is aware of the likely outcome of this case and I would ask he be given time to get his affairs in order.”

Sheriff Thomas Millar deferred sentence until next month and agreed to continue bail, but warned the accused:“given the high value of the drugs you have to be realistic.”

The sheriff confiscated £710 found during the police search.