Sheriff tells ‘young and stupid’ drugs dealer: ‘You richly deserve jail’

CANNABIS: Prison alternative if unpaid work order is not carried out in time

A “young and stupid” cannabis dealer has avoided prison after an offence involving intending to supply the drug.

Months after being given unpaid work after admitting dealing the class-c substance and having a baseball bat “to protect himself” when police stopped his car in Dundee, 20-year-old Brandon Hayter appeared before an Angus sheriff after being caught with another £240 worth of cannabis.

Hayter, of Aberbrothrie, Alyth, had earlier admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply at Bellies Brae, Kirriemuir, between July and December last year, while on bail.

Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said the offence happened around the same time as Hayter was caught supplying cannabis in Dundee, which previously led to an indictment appearance at the city’s sheriff court and a community order for 270 hours’ unpaid work.

“This court deferred sentence to allow him to get the Dundee hours down and continue his apprenticeship as a plumber,” said Mr Markowski.

“He has 104 hours of the Dundee

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I cannot emphasise enough how lucky you are.

SHERIFF GREGOR MURRAY

order left to complete and is doing well in his employment.”

Forfar Sheriff Gregor Murray told Hayter: “I cannot emphasise enough how lucky you are.

“I clearly would like to send someone as young and as stupid as you – someone with a significant cannabis habit who then starts dealing on the streets of Dundee – to custody.

“You richly, richly deserve jail.” Hayter was given a community payback order with a requirement to complete 175 hours’ unpaid work in nine months.

Sheriff Murray added: “Ordinarily, I would give you a year but you are not going to get that.

“We will have a review in three months and if you are not doing everything expected of you then you are going straight to jail. The pressure is right on.”

In June, Dundee Sheriff Court heard texts found on Hayter’s phone spoke of needing to “protect himself” in order to recover drug debts when he was caught in the city’s Balgowan Avenue with cannabis and the baseball bat.

Police then recovered cannabis weighing a total of 341.4 grammes, with an estimated value of £3,410, from both his car and his home address.

He admitted an indictment of supplying cannabis between March and June 2018 at his home and in Dundee and was also placed on a 108-day tag for the offence.