Vulnerable man who stored pills in his home for dealers dodges jail

Cash and ecstasy discovered

A vulnerable man was spared jail after he was coerced into operating a “safe house” for drug dealers.

Richard Millar, 58, was found with a stash of ecstasy tablets and around £3,500 in cash at his home in Johnstone during a police raid.

Millar, who has a number of health difficulties, appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of ecstasy following the raid on October 11, 2019.

He also faces a separate court hearing under proceeds of crime legislation for confiscation of the cash recovered from his house.

Defence agent Charlie McCusker told how his client had been singled out by dealers as a soft target to use his home for the drugs’ trade.

In exchange for using his home, Mr Millar was given cannabis as payment which he used for pain relief.

Mr McCusker said: “He is vulnerable in the community and he appears for sentencing regarding the matter to which he pleaded guilty.

“There has been no other offending since the events of 2019.

“My client has a number of health conditions and would be unfit for unpaid work, but he would be more than willing to comply with a Restriction of Liberty Order (ROLO).”

Mr McCusker urged the court to hand his client a community-based disposal, given his plea of guilty as well as background reports which revealed his personal difficulties.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew, who studied criminal justice reports ahead of sentencing, told him: “You pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of ecstasy on one day in October 2019 by providing a safe house.

“There was a quantity of drugs and you involved yourself with those who were themselves involved in the drugs trade by providing a safe house.

“The court takes this seriously and will make it clear to anyone who plays an integral part in the drug trade.”

He added Millar had received cannabis in exchange for taking part in the “bargain”, which he used for “pain relief for a number of health complaints”.

But he held back from jailing him because of his guilty plea.

He placed Millar on an electronic tag for eight months and placed him under a curfew, requiring him to remain indoors between 8pm and 8am each day.

He warned him if he breaches the order, he will be sent to custody.

My client has a number of health conditions