A reformed heroin dealer has been spared jail after claiming that he has conquered his “demons”.
Kieran Marko was instead ordered to perform unpaid work when his case called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
Fiscal depute, Lynzi Souter, told the court that officers searched the house in the city Marko was then living at on June 27, 2019.
Once there, they found 27 grams of heroin, which had the potential to be worth £1,800, and 34 grams of cocaine which, if split up and sold in bags, could have been worth up to £1,900.
Ms Souter said that the day after the search was completed, the 20-year-old went to Kittybrewster police station and handed himself in.
When he was there, he informed officers that the drugs were for personal use but due to the amount, they deemed that unlikely. He later pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying a controlled drug.
Defence agent, Liam McAlister, said his client had been using cocaine when the offence occurred but had since addressed his “demons” with drugs.
The court heard that Marko was 18 at the time and was now in full-time employment with his employer impressed at his “very strong work ethic”.
Mr McAlister added that his client had since cut all ties in Aberdeen and was now living in Kelty, in Fife.
Sheriff William Summers said he had taken into account everything said on Marko’s behalf.
He sentenced the 20-year-old, of the village’s North Drum Street, to a community payback order with 180 hours of unpaid work and placed him on supervision for one year.