A man was jailed for more than four and half years yesterday after admitting being concerned in the supply of drugs – to pay off a huge debt run up going to a funeral.
Jason Esterine brought cocaine and heroin to Aberdeen in a van in order to pay off thousands of pounds of debt he racked up going to a family funeral in Jamaica.
The 38-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday where he previously admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drugs.
Sheriff Graeme Napier said a custodial sentence was “inevitable”.
The sheriff said: “These are extremely serious offences. You were bringing heroin and cocaine in to Aberdeen to inflict further misery to those who happen to be addicted to those drugs.
“You were in this for commercial purposes – to pay off £8000 of debt for a family funeral.”
The court heard that the drugs, which had a total worth of £17,750 were found in a van which had been hired out to Esterine.
He previously told police that he had been on “holiday” in the city.
A total of £14,850 worth of cocaine was seized along with £2,900 of heroin.
The offences took place in May last year.
The court heard that Esterine had become involved in the supply of the drugs after getting into a serious debt attending a relative’s funeral.
Esterine, who was listed as a prisoner at HMP Grampian in court papers, also admitted failing to appear in court on March 27 this year.
He was sentenced to 54 months in jail for being concerned in the supply of drugs.
He is to serve an additional 166 days for his failure to appear in court.