Why search me, says man with 21 ecstasy pills

A FORT William man has been found guilty of possessing 21 ecstasy tablets.

Samuel Warne, of Alma Road in the town, denied the charge but was found guilty following a trial in Fort William sheriff court last Wednesday (September 16).

Sheriff Richard Davidson heard police had been carrying out a routine patrol in the early hours of September 6 last year, when they spotted the 26-yearold and another man behaving ‘suspiciously’ at Fort William’s Viewforth car park.

When the officers got out of their car and approached the pair, police witnesses said they attempted to hide behind bins and saw something being passed to the accused by his acquaintance.

On searching Warne, originally from Cornwall, the police found a bag of 21 pink pills in his back pocket.

When he took to the stand to give evidence in court, Warne didn’t deny having the drugs, which have a street value of £210, but said he had given the police no reason to search him.

He said: ‘I was walking to my house from High Street with someone I had been with earlier in the night. We stopped momentarily and the police car pulled in with bright lights. Within seconds they came over and demanded to search me.’

Warne denied hiding from the police or anything being passed to him.

But sheriff Davidson said he believed the evidence of two police witnesses and said they had reason to search Warne.

He added: ‘Ecstasy is dangerous. There have been too many cases of young people suffering fatal consequences as a result of ingesting it. This was extremely foolish.’

Sentencing was deferred on Warne until October 15 for background reports.