Driver stopped by police found with cocaine

A Perth man was subjected to a drugs search after he began“acting nervously”when his vehicle was stopped for a documents check.

That led to police seizing a snap bag containing half a gramme of white powder, later found to be cocaine.

Officers also discovered that 40-year-old Brian Gordon, previously of Netherlea, Scone, and now Weavers’Well Crescent, Cherrybank, didn’t have any insurance.

And his driving licence had also been revoked, Perth Sheriff Court was told. He paid the penalty when he was fined a total of £1200 and disqualified for 10 months after pleading guilty to three charges.

He drove without a valid licence in St Catherine’s Road, Perth, at its junction with Vasart Court, on August 11, 2020, and had no cover.

He also admitted being in possession of the Class A drug. A not guilty plea to having cannabis was accepted by the prosecution.

Depute fiscal Sarah Wilkinson said the accused’s car was stopped about 11.45am.

“He seemed agitated and his hands were visibly shaking,”she explained.

It emerged that his driving licence had been revoked until he passed his test again and he had no insurance.

He continued to act nervously and was detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Solicitor John McLaughlin said Gordon was working on a two-month project in Sheffield and had also worked in Europe and India. He accepted that his licence had been revoked but couldn’t do anything about it because of the lockdown.

Sheriff William Wood noted that it was the accused’s third conviction for having no insurance.“In all the circumstances, I have no sympathy for you at all,”he added.

The fines will be paid at £100 a month.