£3k drugs stash gets him jailed

Cocaine and cannabis supply

A Raploch man who was found with over £3000 of drugs in his car boot has been jailed for a year.

Patrick James Thomas McGowan (36), was convicted of being concerned in the supply of Class A drug cocaine and Class B drug cannabis.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard this week how police, acting on intelligence, pulled McGowan over while he was driving near his Menzies Drive home shortly before midday on January 14.

A search of the vehicle was carried out and officers found a red holdall containing £800 worth of cocaine and cannabis to the value of £2500.

Defence agent Ken Dalling told the court that McGowan agreed to take the bag in order to appease a drug dealer he owed a lot of money to.

He said: “A debt of £1000 was incurred and he couldn’t pay it. His services were then called upon and he agreed in order to keep himself in the good books of his supplier.

“The bag was dropped off and he was told where to take it. It was while on that journey he was stopped.”

Mr Dalling added: “The benefit to him was that he hoped it would get a drug dealer off his back. He did have some knowledge of what was in the bag – he thinks it would have been drugs but did say it could have been anything.

“He just felt he was between a rock and a hard place. He now no longer uses heroin and wants to get back to full-time employment. The prospect of custody is something he sees with trepidation – he says he’s learned his lesson.”

Sheriff William Gilchrist insisted there was no option but to impose a prison term.

He said: “Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs is a serious matter which rightly attracts a custodial sentence.”

Stirling inspector Donna Bryans welcomed news of McGowan’s 12 month jail sentence.

She said: “If we receive intelligence we will take it seriously and act upon it. We would encourage the public to continue to report any concerns they have to us.

“It just goes to show that, as seen in this instance, the information can help result in lengthy jail sentences for those concerned in the supply of drugs.”