A repeat drug trafficker who was caught with cocaine and cannabis worth more than £140,000 on the streets was told today by a judge to consider a career change.
Lord Mulholland said that Anthony Newman had admitted two “very serious charges” of being concerned in the supply of the drugs when he appeared before him at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The judge told him: “You really should think about a change of occupation because you are not very good at it. You keep getting caught.”
The court heard that in December last year and January this year police received intelligence that Newman, who has previous convictions for drugs, had returned to the illegal trade.
Officers saw him on January 14 in circumstances that led to suspicion that he had been involved in a drugs transaction and he was seen to enter a block of flats in Palmerston Road, Aberdeen.
Kilo of cocaine found in flat
Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC said: “In view of the circumstances and knowledge of the accused, enforcement action was considered necessary.”
The prosecutor said officers forced entry to the flat and Newman was found in the bathroom disposing of something down a toilet which was flushed.
White powder was seen in the bathroom, hall and bedroom floors and a package of drugs was also in the bedroom.
A specialist sterile drug vacuum was used to hoover up the discarded drugs, which were worth up to £10,000 if sold in street deals.
A further kilo of the Class A drug, with the potential to realise £124,000, was found in a bag.
Police went on to conduct drug searches at two further properties in Aberdeen in Jasmine Terrace and Short Loanings.
Property used to store drugs
At the Jasmine Terrace address they recovered £800 worth of cannabis with Newman’s DNA on the bag containing it.
During a search of the Short Loanings property a kilo of cannabis worth about £6,500 was found. Intelligence was received that Newman was using the property to store drugs.
Newman, 31, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between December 6 last year and January 14 this year at a flat in Palmerston Road, Aberdeen.
He also pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between January 3 and 14 at addresses at Palmerston Road, Jasmine Terrace and Short Loanings.
Sentence was deferred on Newman, who is currently a prisoner at HMP Grampian, for the preparation of a background report.
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