A man faces jail after being found guilty yesterday of dealing heroin in Oban.
Dale Montague, 27, will be sentenced in the New Year after the jury at Oban Sheriff Court delivered its verdict.
Montague was originally charged along with two others, Andrew McKenzie, 33, and Jennifer McIver, 38.
It was alleged that all three were concerned in the supply of heroin at a flat at 19 High Street, Oban, on August 8.
McIver pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial, while a not guilty plea by Mr McKenzie was accepted on the third day.
The court heard evidence that heroin with a total street value of £1,400 was discovered at the flat when police raided it after receiving a tip off that drugs were being dealt there.
Officers found McIver and Montague in the flat, and Mr McKenzie, who lived there, arrived while the search was ongoing. McIver and Montague both gave police addresses in Helensburgh, the trial heard.
It was agreed by the defence and prosecution that one plastic bag containing 20.19g (less than an ounce) of heroin and a plastic bag containing eight individual £10 deals of the drug were found during the search.
Fiscal Eoin McGinty said Montague had been “caught red handed”.
He said: “If he wasn’t involved in the supply of drugs, why would he be in a flat with such a large quantity of the drug and two people known to be users?”
Defence solicitor Tom Brown argued that there was no direct link between Montague and the drugs.
Following the guilty verdict Sheriff Douglas Small saw that Montague had previous convictions for drugs, theft, breach of the peace and assault.
Sheriff Small said: “A custodial sentence is almost inevitable.”
He deferred sentence until January 6 on Montague and McIver, calling for background reports on McIver, who was granted bail.