A drug-dealing boxer caught with more than £5,000 of cocaine stashed under a car seat has had a “wake-up call” after being arrested by police, a court was told.
Ben McHattie was caught when officers approached a Ford Fiesta, in which he was a passenger, on Skene View, Westhill.
The 22-year-old immediately confessed to officers there were drugs hidden in the vehicle and that they belonged to him.
No explanation was given in open court for McHattie becoming involved in supplying the class A drug, but his solicitor insisted the experience of being arrested had been a “wake-up call” for him.
Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told Aberdeen Sheriff Court police approached the parked vehicle around 1am on May 15 last year.
Officers “had reason” to approach the car, in which McHattie was in a rear passenger seat, and detained all the occupants.
‘Difficult to explain to his parents’
Ms MacVicar said: “The accused told police that there were drugs inside the vehicle and that they belonged to him.”
The car was searched and police recovered the following items from underneath the rear passenger seat:
- 31.52g of cocaine worth between £1,250 in its current form, up to a maximum of £3,900
- Six packages each containing 0.8g or 0.9g of cocaine worth £80 to £100 each
- A package containing 7.56g of cocaine with the potential to be worth up to £800
- A set of scales
‘Wake-up call’
The total maximum value of all the cocaine recovered was £5,300 and McHattie was arrested.
Appearing in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, McHattie, of Broadstraik Drive, Elrick, admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug.
Defence agent Chris Maitland said his client described being arrested as a “wake-up call”.
He said: “He found one of the most difficult things was to explain all this to his parents.
“He very much regrets his actions.
“The explanation is as given to the social work report writer, and there’s not really anything to add.”
‘He’s no longer selling drugs’
The report was not read during the hearing so no explanation for McHattie’s offending was given in open court.
Mr Maitland said his client left his former job as he was likely to be sacked over the case.
He said: “He’s no longer using drugs and certainly no longer involved in selling drugs.
“He’s not drinking, he’s not going out. He generally spends his time boxing and exercising.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace ordered McHattie to complete 220 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to a custodial sentence.
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