Police rush to rescue ...but nab drug dealer
Officers following up report of assault find cannabis
Police snared a drug dealer when they rushed to his home to respond to reports his door had been smashed down by intruders and he had been assaulted.
Robert Hall (40) was said to have come under attack while inside his flat in Baker Street – an incident his solicitor said would have been a “capital crime” in centuries past – on January 1 last year.
When police arrived at the scene to investigate the assault they stumbled upon a tub containing herbal cannabis within Hall’s property.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard this week how, upon testing, it was revealed that the drugs could have a value of between £1340 and £1920 depending on the size of the deals.
Hall, now of King Street, pleaded guilty on September 26 to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between December 29, 2016, and January 1, 2017.
And he avoided custody when he appeared in the dock for sentencing on Wednesday morning and was instead ordered to 220 hours of unpaid work in the next six months.
Fiscal depute Laura Knox told the court that Hall had been assaulted within his own home on January 1 and police attended to investigate, and ensure there were no further injured parties.
She said: “On open display was a tub containing a herbal substance believed to be cannabis. Police craved a warrant and this was granted and executed at 2.45pm on the same day.”
Ms Knox explained that a tub of herbal cannabis, a set of scales, a mobile phone and charger, along with a second mobile phone were all recovered from the property.
At 3.25pm the drugs were tested, and results came back positive for cannabis, while the mobile phone was examined and there were texts found which were indicative of the supply of drugs. He was interviewed and charged shortly after 4pm.
Defence solicitor Ken Dalling said: “Officers were responding to an assault upon him which in previous centuries would be a capital crime. His front door had literally been cleaved in two by the attackers.
“He tells me he accepts the seriousness of drug supply at any level and he has no intention of repeating the folly that led him to be here in the dock.
“He has ongoing personal use of cannabis. This is not ideal, as he accepts, and he hopes when again in work he can abstain from cannabis use.
“I would point to the level of the offence, the short duration and the restricted record, and the fact he is suitable for a community payback order. This matter has weighed heavily on Mr Hall.”
Mr Dalling explained that the alleged attack on Mr Hall came about after a “coming-together” earlier in the evening with an individual he knew from his past – and was unrelated to the drug supply.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson said: “This is a serious matter. You have a limited record but note has to be taken of two convictions for possession.” Hall was ordered to undertake 220 hours of unpaid community work in the next six months.
Officers were responding to an assault upon him which in previous centuries would be a capital crime