Former Hibs youth player jailed for dealing heroin

A FORMER HIBERNIAN youth football player who was caught with the largest haul of drugs ever seized by a Scottish police force has been jailed for nine years.

Kris Brown (29) and two co-accused, Lee Knott and Iain Hunter, were convicted of supplying heroin and other drugs at a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

Lothian and Borders Police raided Knott’s flat in Sighthill View, Edinburgh, on December 16 2010, where they found about 37.5lb (17kg) of heroin, as well as other class A and B drugs.

It is the force’s biggestever seizure, part of Operation Congress, which targets serious organised crime.

The heroin is said to have an estimated street value of between £800,000 and £1.7 million and could have been sold in 170,000 “tenner bags” or “deals”.

Brown was said to have had “seniority” over Knott (23) and taught him how to mix the drugs, a court heard.

Knott and 22-year-old Hunter admitted their part in the offences at earlier hearings.

Brown denied all charges against him.

Sentencing them at the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Boyd of Duncansby said the three men were involved in a “vile and evil trade”.

He said: “It ruins lives, tears families apart and is known to cause major health problems.

“The need to feed the addiction can often lead to crime and prostitution.”

Brown was convicted by a unanimous jury last month.

The judge jailed Brown for nine years for supplying heroin, four years for supplying cocaine and a further 10 months for two other drugs charges.

His prison terms will run concurrently and were backdated to July 10 this year, when he was remanded in custody.

Knott was sentenced to five years and four months for supplying heroin, three years and six months for supplying cocaine and a four months for supplying the class B drug mephedrone.

His sentences, reduced because of his guilty plea, also run concurrently and were backdated to July.

Hunter was said to be less involved but has previous convictions including an assault to severe injury with a racially aggravated element. He was jailed for four years and six months, also backdated to July.

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