Text messages incriminate dealer

A drug dealer was sent to prison for two years after being caught with 37,000 incriminating text messages on his mobile phone.

Blair Seaton, 23, of East Moulin Road, Pitlochry, had to admit he was peddling the drug because of the volume of texts related to it on his phone.

Perth Sheriff Court was told Seaton was sometimes sending and receiving hundreds of texts in a single day – most of them about drugs.

Seaton admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis between January 1 and June 20 last year.

Depute fiscal Gavin Letford said Seaton was jobless but was not claiming benefits and police had received intelligence that he may be supplying drugs in Pitlochry.

“Police on patrol saw him in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked by the war memorial,” he said.

“They went to speak to him and there was a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the vehicle.

“Police were aware of recent intelligence linking him with drug dealing activities in the town.

“A wallet was found containing £1,040 and a small amount of cannabis was also found.

“The mobile phone was taken for examination.

“A total of 37,000 messages were recovered and a large proportion were found to contain information of evidential value in relation to the supply of controlled drugs.

Mr Letford revealed Seaton was sending and receiving more than 200 messages every day on average.

“Text messages related both to requests for cannabis being received and offers to sell cannabis.”

Solicitor Paul Ralph said it was a “foolish enterprise”.