Ross-shire man who began dealing drugs to subsidise own habit avoid prison term when he is sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court
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A ROSS-shire man began dealing drugs to subsidise his own habit, a court has heard.
Tyler Buchan (23), of Parkhill, Kildary, then began associating with others with similar intentions but got caught in a police intelligence-led operation in June 1, 2018.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that a large quantity of cocaine was recovered from Cnoc Navie woods in Alness on June 1.
The following day, a VW Golf arrived at the location and was stopped by plain clothes police for a search.
Buchan was a back seat passenger and a phone and a piece of paper were seized from him. Subsequent analysis showed that Buchan was communicating with others wanting to buy drugs.
Buchan admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs and sentence had previously been deferred for a background report.
Defence solicitor Graham Mann told Sheriff Sara Matheson: “He found himself back in an association with people using drugs and making money from them.
“He was subsidising his own use and making money on the side. He is no longer involved with that peer group.”
Sentencing him to 192 hours of unpaid work and 18 months of social work supervision, Sheriff Matheson said: “I accept that your involvement is at the lower end of the scale and this can be dealt with a community payback order as an alternative to prison.”
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