Heroin dealer jailed for doing business while in Ninewells

A man was yesterday jailed after he admitted dealing heroin at a hospital while there for surgery.

James Foley was caught with a roll of cash and almost £2,000 worth of the class A drug stuffed into his shoe while he was admitted to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital.

He was undergoing surgery for an abscess and was admitted to the high dependency unit to recover.

When a nurse moved his belongings from one ward to another she discovered his hidden horde inside a trainer and reported it to police.

A sheriff jailed Foley for two years and three months and told him: “It’s extremely difficult to understand why anyone in their right mind would take these drugs in to hospital.”

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told Dundee Sheriff Court: “On January 28 last year the accused was admitted to Ninewells for an operation on a groin abscess.

“After the operation he was taken to the HDU on January 29.

“The following day a nurse noticed a quantity of cash in one of his trainers.

“She took the trainers to a colleague and £220 in cash was found.

“A quantity of drugs was also recovered and police were contacted.

“In total there were 36.81 grams of heroin with an as seen value of £1,000 with a potential street value of £1,840.”

Foley, 40, of Bute Drive, Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin at Ninewells Hospital on January 30 last year.

Defence solicitor Billy Sommerville said: “He had purchased the drugs to use some himself and sell the rest to others.

“He’s aware he will receive a custodial sentence.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Foley for 27 months and said: “It’s extremely difficult to understand why anyone in their right mind would take these drugs in to hospital.

“You have previously served a three-year sentence for an analogous offence.”