Family home used to stash £25k worth of illegal drugs

Police who raided a family home discovered it was being used as a drugs safe house for a Liverpoolbased organised crime gang.

They found Gail Hansbury, 36, and David Buchan, 22, from Arbroath inside, together with more than £25,000 worth of illicit substances, including heroin and cocaine.

Buchan has been warned he faces jail after he admitted working as a drugs runner for the gang.

The pair appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court this week, where they each pled guilty to being concerned in supplying controlled drugs between October 5 and October 10 2019.

Depute fiscal Lucy Simpson told the court police officers forced their way into a house on School Street, Fraserburgh, at about 1.40am.

Hansbury was found alone in bed with a variety of drugs scattered around the room, children were asleep in another room and Buchan was in the kitchen.

A total of £19,370 of amphetamine was found, together with £4,740 of cocaine and £1,480 of heroin.

The court heard that Buchan, of Stoneycroft Lane, Arbroath, confessed to working as a senior member of an organised drug group based in Liverpool, running crack cocaine and heroin in Fraserburgh, and that Hansbury’s home was being used as a safe house to deal drugs.

Ms Simpson said the crown accepted that Buchan, represented by solicitor Stuart Flowerdew, was being used as a runner for the organised crime group and was under their influence at the time.

Hansbury’s defence agent, Leonard Birkenshaw, said the extent of her involvement was simply her allowing her house to be used for storing the drugs.

Sheriff Graham Buchanan spared Hansbury jail, telling her the decision was “down to her family situation” as she was a single parent responsible for four children, including a three-monthold.

Hansbury’s sentence was deferred for good behaviour.

Buchan was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the month.

Sheriff Buchanan warned him he could expect a period of imprisonment.