Forfar man’s cannabis stash was in the grass

COURT: John Lamond was found with £1,800 worth of the class B drug

A cannabis dealer’s four-figure drugs cache was uncovered after a police dog sniffed out the “grass” in a garden lawnmower.

John Lamond was holding £1,800 worth of the class B drug for himself and three friends after a bulk purchase, but admitted a supply charge after the scale of the find at his Forfar home in January.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard the 44-year-old was snared when police executed a drugs search warrant at Lamond’s Glenmoy Terrace home after a vehicle he was in was stopped.

Although a drugs search of the vehicle proved negative, Lamond was advised that there was a search warrant for his home address and when police went there a sniffer dog gave indications in both the living-room and kitchen.

The dog then focused on an outside storage cupboard and in the grass collection box of the lawnmower officers found four wraps of herbal substance.

Smaller bags were also found in the living-room, giving a total weight of 123.5 grammes.

The maximum illicit value of the cannabis was put at £1,200 to £1,800.

Scenes of crime officers formed the view that since the cannabis was found in four individual packages and in such a significant quantity that it was for onward supply.

Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said his client had not previously troubled the courts to any degree, but did have a significant drugs possession offence from 2011.

“The background report makes it clear that he has been a heavy drug user for many years and his position here is that he made a bulk purchase along with three friends that was for use by him and his friends only.

“The value was based on street value. His position is that he paid £600 and it was offered to him as a discounted purchase.

“He realises he has put himself in a very difficult position because of this.

“The starting point of his drug misuse was some 15 years ago and that began with heroin. He wants to avoid returning to heroin and that involves cannabis but he is also progressing well with drug misuse services.”

Mr Rennie added: “He was not doing this for any financial gain, other than cutting down his own costs.”

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio imposed a one-year community payback order, including 120 hours of unpaid work.

Lamond admitted a further charge of possessing cannabis resin after the supply offence and sentence was deferred on that matter for three months for good behaviour and a community payback order progress report.