Court told of cannabis plants discovered at Balbeggie property

Illegal drugs with a street value of more than £4,000 were found in a man’s house, Perth Sheriff Court heard yesterday.

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said that Perth and Kinross Council contacted the police to visit an address due to a water leak.

She said: “At 8.40pm on July 18 2015, police attended along with a plumber and cannabis plants were recovered from within the property at Balbeggie.

“The accused, Steven Bowler, was later traced in Angus Road, Scone, and searched.”

Officers found five small bags containing cannabis on the accused.

Ms Drummond also stated that eight cannabis plants were found in the Balbeggie property, with a street value of between £1,280 and £4,320.

The court heard that when police questioned Bowler he told them the cannabis was for his own use and that he also gave some to friends.

Bowler admitted that on July 18 last year at Green Road, Balbeggie, he was concerned in the supply of cannabis, a class B drug.

He also admitted that on July 19 last year at Angus Road, Scone, he had cannabis in his possession.

Sheriff Fiona Tait deferred sentence until May 11, but told Bowler he is “clearly on the custody threshold”. Also at Perth: Liam Brown, 29, of Raeburn Park, Perth, was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

He had been found guilty after trial that on January 2 at Marshall Gardens, Luncarty, he assaulted his wife by pulling her hair, grabbing her by the throat and slapping her repeatedly.

He was also found guilty of threatening to stab and slit the throat of his wife on January 8 at the same address.

Sentencing Brown, Sheriff Fiona Tait told him: “Your behaviour was particularly nasty.”

Meanwhile, Haidi Sheppard, 37, of Queen Street, Perth, was banned from driving for 36 months.

She admitted that on March 18 in Dunkeld Road and St Catherine’s Retail Park, both Perth, she drove while disqualified and with excess alcohol.