A boxer has avoided jail after being caught with crack cocaine and heroin worth more than £5,000 in Aberdeen.
Navid Hayati was spotted by police who rushed to the scene after receiving a report of drug deals going on in Richmond Walk.
The 22-year-old was walking quickly along Eden Place nearby with a hold-all and jumped into the back of a car before police pounced and discovered the drugs.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Around 11.20am on August 10 2019 police received a report of drug deals going on in Richmond Walk.
“Police attended immediately to search the area.
“A short time later police saw several persons with drug user appearance and saw the accused carrying a dark-coloured hold-all walking quickly along a footpath and entering an Audi and sitting in the rear passenger seat.
“The car was about to drive away. Police seized the keys.”
Ms Ward said the driver of the car stated: “I don’t know him. I just came here to score. He just jumped in and told me to drive.”
Officers found Hayati in possession of crack cocaine worth £4,850 and heroin worth £900, as well as phones containing messages consistent with being concerned in the supply of drugs.
Hayati pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin between March 4 2018 and August 10 2019.
Hayati’s solicitor told the court his client had “fallen victim to temptation”.
He added: “He appears without previous convictions.
“I’m told he’s a boxer with some gift and some talent.”
The solicitor went on to say Hayati had “turned a corner” since committing the offences.
Sheriff William Summers told Hayati, whose address was given in court documents as Glenbank Court, Glasgow, the offences were “a very serious matter”.
He added: “You appear before the court as a 22-year-old man with no previous convictions. I’m satisfied, on balance, in your case there is an appropriate alternative to a custodial sentence.”
He ordered Hayati to be supervised for 18 months and handed him 200 hours of unpaid work to be completed within a year.
The sheriff also imposed a restriction of liberty order for Hayati to remain within his home address between 7pm and 8am for a period of six months.
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