Duo in dock over drugs offences

Two more men have appeared in court over alleged drugs offences.

Eric Reid, 45, and Mark Reid, 27, appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to face a single charge under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Prosecutors claim the pair were concerned in the supply of Etizolam – a former legal high that is often sold as Valium and is now a Class-C drug – at a property in Earlshill Drive, Howwood, on Thursday, March 15.

Eric, of Johnstone, and Mark, of Renfrewshire, were detained at the weekend and are the latest two people charged over the police investigation.

Both men made no plea and the cases against them were continued for prosecutors to investigate further. They were released on bail by Sheriff Daniel Kelly.

They are the fourth and fifth people to be charged over the incident.

Jamie King McArthur, 27, Allana Morton, 27, and Jamie Woods, 29, all made no plea during their first hearing, where Woods was remanded in custody and McArthur and Morton released on bail.

All three are charged with breaking Section 4(3)( b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by being “concerned in the supply of controlled drugs”, while Woods and McArthur also face a separate single charge of being in possession of cannabis, in breach of Section 5(2) of the same Act.

A trial is expected to take place but not future court dates have been set for any of the five accused.