Break-up led man back to drug dealing

Acareer criminal returned to drug dealing when his restaurant for dogs closed after he split up with his partner, a court heard.

Andrew Cain, 38, was arrested when police found his DNA on packages of heroin discovered in a bag on the banks of the River Don in Aberdeen in September 2021.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Scottish detectives established that Cain had been arrested in his home city in Liverpool in November last year.

They also discovered that Cain had two previous convictions for drug dealing and had served lengthy periods in custody.

Cain, of Hyton in Liverpool, pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin in the Stoneywood area of Aberdeen.

Judge Lady Carmichael jailed Cain for five years and 219 days.

Advocate Iain Paterson, defending, said Cain had become involved in the drugs trade after a business venture ended.

Mr Paterson said: “After coming out of prison, he set up a hospitality company with his partner. It was a restaurant for dogs.

“It was relatively successful until he split from his partner at Christmas time in 2019.”

Cain’s Liverpool restaurant was called the Pups and Cups Bistro.

Cain and his co-owner came up with the idea when they were thinking about the perfect place for a “pup-date”.

The venue had an astroturfed gated garden and a place where dogs could play with other pets.

Prosecutor Paul Harvey said police in Aberdeen received a tip-off in September 2021 that a bag containing drugs was being stored beside the river.

Officers went to the scene and recovered heroin with a total street value of £5,210.

Detectives also found DNA belonging to Cain and discovered that he had been arrested on another matter in Liverpool.

Scottish officers also discovered that Cain had previously served two sentences for drug dealing in England – serving 32 months and five years respectively.

Mr Harvey told the court: “The police were informed that Cain had been arrested in Liverpool.

“When Cain was asked about the discovery of the drugs in Aberdeen, he said he had never been to Scotland before.

“When he was cautioned and charged by the police in relation to the Scottish discovery, he replied ‘not guilty’.”

However, Scottish police still managed to find enough evidence to prove Cain’s guilt.

Mr Paterson told the court that his client suffered from poor mental health following the split from his partner and became involved with crime.

He said that Cain, who appeared from custody, had been sectioned and was now on antipsychotic drugs.

Mr Paterson added: “He is a relatively vulnerable man.”

Lady Carmichael told Cain: “Given you have pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, I will discount your sentence from seven years to one of five years and 219 days.

“I will also backdate this to November 11, 2021 whe you were arrested.”

Andrew Cain was sentenced by Lady Carmichael at the High Court in Edinburgh.