Highland sheriff offers drug dealer a 'one-off' chance to forge an honest future as he avoids jail sentence
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A HIGHLAND sheriff handed a man a chance to make a future for himself rather than being sent to prison for drug dealing.
Jack Clark (20), of Merkinch Place in Inverness, appeared for sentence before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald at Inverness Sheriff Court after admitting being concerned in the supply of almost £5000 worth of cannabis.
Defence solicitor Duncan Henderson said his client was a first offender who had “a long-standing problem with cannabis”.
But he added that Clark was determined to turn his life around.
The court heard that he had a desire to go to college and Sheriff Macdonald told Clark: “This is a one-off chance although people have been sent to jail for this amount of cannabis.”
She placed him under two years of social work supervision and ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid community work.
At an earlier hearing, the court was told that police decided to make a routine check on a vehicle in an Inverness housing estate and recovered almost £5000 worth of herbal cannabis.
Officers were on mobile patrol on March 16 when they saw Clark talking to a car-load of passengers outside his house.
They were all spoken to and the constables immediately detected a strong smell of cannabis coming from Clark, fiscal depute Robert Weir said.
“He began to back away from the officers but was detained nearby and a blue rucksack was recovered from his back,” Mr Weir said.
On searching it 815g of the drug were recovered from a number of bags plus cash totalling £2069.32. Other drug paraphernalia including scales and bags were also found.
A search was then carried out of Clark’s home and another 14g of cannabis and more paraphernalia associated with dealing was recovered.
The total maximum value was estimated at £4900.
Clark admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class C drug. Sheriff Macdonald also confiscated the cash and the drugs and paraphernalia were forfeited.
