A furloughed offshore worker who turned to ketamine has been fined more than £6,000 after bulk buying the drug to get him through a local lockdown.
Daniel Tough was found with ketamine worth up to £6,160 stashed in his BMW X5 when police executed a search warrant at his address on Carden Terrace, Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard the 31-year-old had first started using the drug after struggling to cope with being furloughed.
But when a local lockdown in August 2020 hit, Tough was advised there may be supply issues, so decided to bulk-buy ketamine and split it with a friend.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton told the court: “At about 2.40pm on Friday August 28 2020, police officers attended at Carden Terrace, Aberdeen, and executed a drug search warrant.”
‘Came up with a plan to bulk-buy it’
Tough was found alone inside and a key to a BMW X5, parked nearby, was discovered.
A systematic search of the address and vehicle were carried out and a bag containing 123.2g of ketamine was found within the driver’s door pocket of the car.
Mr Middleton said the drugs were worth £3,080, but if broken down into smaller details could realise £6,160.
Tough was arrested and, during interview, stated the drug “belonged to another person and he had been holding it for them for a while”.
Tough pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of ketamine between August 1 and 28 2020.
Defence agent Laura Gracie said: “He was placed on furlough. He essentially wasn’t coping with that.
‘He’s had absolutely no drugs since the day that he was arrested’
“He was trying to get counselling and support but there was nothing available at that time.
“He bumped into an old acquaintance who gave him ketamine and that gave him an instant release from the depression he was feeling.”
But in August 2020, Tough was warned that a local lockdown might impact the supply of the drug and he and a friend “came up with a plan to bulk buy it”.
Ms Gracie said Tough had collected the drugs and had been waiting to divide them up with his friend.
The solicitor explained her client had taken “great steps to secure the assistance he needs” to tackle his drug use.
She added: “He tells me he’s had absolutely no drugs since the day that he was arrested.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace ordered Tough, of Carden Place, Aberdeen, to be supervised for a year, complete 180 hours of unpaid work and pay a fine totalling £6,350.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
