Dealer is caught with his ‘tick list’

Driver stopped by cops threw drugs out car

A Stirling drug dealer who was found with his‘tick list’ when stopped by police has been jailed.

Craig Brown was stopped by police when it was discovered that he didn’t have a valid MOT.

However, when officers signalled him to pull over he threw drugs out of his car window.

Brown (28) had been driving in Glendevon Drive, Raploch on June 19 this year when he was intercepted by police.

Brown, of Stewart Square, previously admitted to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday for sentencing.

Fiscal depute Ann Orr told the court how Brown had been spotted in the vehicle by officers at around 11.10pm. They had checked the registration of the vehicle and discovered the car had no MOT.

Mrs Orr added: “They signalled the vehicle to stop and just before it did they saw the accused discard items from the passenger side window. They then spoke to the accused once the car stopped. As he opened the driver’s door there was a strong smell of cannabis.”

Brown was cautioned and questioned as to what he had thrown from the car, to which he replied: “I’ve got grass. It’s only mines.” He later told the officers that he had a list of names, cash and “other things”.

Officers carried out an area search and found a bag containing cannabis and Brown was arrested.

The bag contained 21 grams of the class B drug, worth around £320.

Within the vehicle they discovered over £1000 in cash and a cannabis grinder as well as mobile phones and a SIM card. A notepad containing a ‘tick list’ was also discovered.

During the course of the journey to the police office, Brown appeared to spit out what appeared to be another mobile phone SIM card.

He then said: “You’ll think the money in the van is from dealing.”

The self–employed painter and decorator said £200 of the cash was from a recent job he had carried out.

During their investigation police carried out an examination of the phones and found messages which showed contacts asking the price of drugs on one of the devices.

Defence solicitor Frazer McCready said Brown had no previous drug convictions and had never previously been sentenced to prison.

Mr McCready said: “The accused’s position is that he accepts that there was a tick list found and that provided names of people who owed him money.

“He accepts that on June 19 he was concerned in the supply of cannabis.

“He would buy cannabis, sell it to his friends, and then buy more.”

Mr McCready also told the court how Brown frequently used the drug as a way of managing pain that he suffered in his knees.

When speaking to a social worker prior to sentencing, Brown said that when questioned by police he was only asked about the cannabis discovered on that particular day.

Sentencing Brown, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson said: “I’m unimpressed with your attitude shown towards the social worker.” Brown was jailed for six months. A crown motion was also lodged for confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act. A hearing has been set for January 9.

As he opened the driver’s door there was a strong smell of cannabis