A Liverpool drug dealer has been jailed after being caught with cocaine in Fraserburgh.
Joseph Lowe appeared from custody at Peterhead Sheriff Court to be sentenced for the single charge of drugs supply, relating to cocaine with a street value of almost £5,000.
The 36-year-old has been on remand since being arrested on April 24, following a police swoop on a property in Fraserburgh.
Lowe claimed he had appropriated the drugs as an act of defiance against bullying dealers.
The court heard police had been called to a house on Kinnaird Road to carry out a welfare check on the occupants after a tip-off.
Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard told the court Lowe had answered the door to the officers and they noticed he had white powder around his nose.
“They suspected this to be drugs,” Ms Pritchard said.
The officers carried out the welfare check on the residents of the property and then carried out a search after obtaining a warrant.
“A black bag was found which had four wraps of white rock substance,” Ms Pritchard said.
‘Just take me to jail’
“Lowe stated that any drugs in the house belonged to him and said ‘just take me to jail’.
“£1160.75 cash was also found within the bag, along with a bank card in Joseph Lowe’s name.”
The drugs found in the bag were found to be 50.35 grams of cocaine with a street value estimated at £4,950.
Lowe’s defence solicitor Alannah Comerford said her client did not have the best upbringing and had suffered an attack by an XL Bulldog when he last lived in Liverpool.
She told the court he had moved to the north-east for romantic reasons and was trying to get his life “back on track”.
The father-of-two started a joinery business but pressures from the pandemic resulted in its failure and Lowe’s life began to “spiral”.
Ms Comerford explained that Lowe had taken possession of the bag of drugs after being told by local dealers they were being bullied by their bosses.
“The bag that was found was taken from them,” Ms Comerford said. “He took it back to the house to share its contents with the occupants.”
Sheriff Annella Cowan said: “Given the value is more than £4,000 and the whole circumstances, I would have imprisoned you for 16 months.
“But due to your early plea this will be discounted to 12 months from today’s date.”
A confiscation order for £1160.75 was also made.
