Cops watched city centre cocaine deal

Undercover patrol saw Saab driver in handover

A blundering Cowie man conducted a drugs deal in front of two police officers.

John Bruce (31) was seen supplying another man with cocaine outside the Trophy Centre in Upper Craigs, Stirling, on February 4.

At Stirling Sheriff Court last week Bruce, of Main Street, was ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and pay a £300 fine.

The court heard that police in plain clothes were conducting foot patrols on Upper Craigs around 6.50pm when they saw a man using a mobile phone and looking around for somebody.

They then saw a black Saab, being driven by Bruce, pull up nearby and the man walk towards it. There was an exchange of items between the pair.

Police officers then approached and searched the man, finding two bags of white powder.

When he saw what had happened Bruce briefly stopped in the road before driving off. He was later stopped and detained and £120 of cash was found on him.

Defence agent Ken Dalling said: “Stupid, stupid, stupid. His brain was in neutral and he failed to engage it.

“He was phoned by an acquaintance who told him he had a delivery to make but couldn’t do it.

“Mr Bruce was then asked to pick something up and drop it off at the location. He agreed to this request.

“The purchaser was obvious to him: the man standing outside the Trophy Centre looking expectantly for a man about to deliver two bags of cocaine.”

William Gilchrist told Mr Dalling: “My difficulty is believing a word of the explanation given by the accused.”

Mr Dalling insisted: “This is a single instance of supply by a 31-year-old man.

“He is suitable for unpaid work and I would ask you to deal with this by way of a direct alternative to custody.

“He is in full-time employment and he had no need to do this from a financial point of view.”

Sheriff Gilchrist told Bruce: “As Mr Dalling pointed out, I am dealing with a single supply of a small quantity of cocaine. For that reason I’ll impose an alternative to custody.”

Bruce was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community work in the next six months and fined £300 fine. He will also lose the £120 cash seized by the police.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. His brain was in neutral and he failed to engage it.