An Aberdeen labourer has been jailed after he handed out cannabis-laced sweets to unsuspecting co-workers on an Aberdeen building site.
Albert Damean later admitted he gave his fellow workers the gummies “for a bit of banter” but his victims did not see the funny side.
One had such a severe reaction to the drug that he was rushed to hospital and doctors, who were perplexed by the symptoms, carried out a lumbar puncture to rule out a brain bleed.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the whole experience had been “really scary” as neither he nor the doctors had any idea he had been spiked with drugs.
Two guilty pleas
It was only when Damean realised his colleague was in hospital that he owned up and admitted the sweets contained cannabis.
The incident happened at Barratt Homes’ Hopecroft site in Bucksburn on January 13 2022, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
Damean, who was 21 at the time, pled guilty to two charges of culpable and reckless conduct. Two further charges were dropped by way of a plea bargain.
Four of his colleagues were named in court papers as having been given the cannabis sweets.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton said Damean had handed out the gummies at around 7.30am at the site office.
“You’re always giving sweets to the guys, so I wanted to return the favour to you,” he told them.
Mr Middleton continued: “The complainers did not note anything unusual about the packet or the sweets.”
Victim speaks out after being spiked
By 9am, the sweets were having an effect, with one of the men telling his colleagues that he had a bad headache, blurred vision and was feeling dizzy.
Mr Middleton said: “He lay in a darkened room and fell asleep before his wife collected him due to him being unable to drive.
“When his wife collected him, the complainer was vomiting and struggling to walk.”
Speaking to the Press and Journal after the court case, the man said: “All I remember was that I collapsed in the car and woke up in hospital.
“No one had any idea what was wrong with me – they’d done a lumber puncture, but I don’t remember anything.
“It was more scary for my wife and all my family who got sent for – they had no idea what was wrong.
“I had a text from Damean on my phone when I woke up saying he was sorry and he just wanted me to be happy.”
The text message read: “I’m so sorry if I made you feel unwell, I’m so sorry – I honestly thought it will just be a bit of banter.”
The following day, Damean confessed to the site manager and the police were called.
“Doctors treating the man in hospital were now able to rule out any serious illness,” Mr Middleton added.
On January 14, the day after the incident, Damean was taken to Kittybrewster Police Station, where he stated: “I gave them THC gummies. You need a whole bag to get stoned and they just had one.”
‘His joke has gone completely wrong’
Damean committed the crimes while he was on bail for two other offences.
His defence solicitor Mike Munroe urged the court not to jail his client and said he knew he had been “stupid”.
“He had purchased the sweets online,” Mr Munro said. “They presented like a packet of Chewits in a commercial wrapper.
“He had previously been cajoled for not joining in with the site banter, or for bringing in any cakes or sweets to share out.
“So, he handed these sweets out and did not advise anyone – we now know the consequences.
“His stupidity was compounded because this was on a building site.
“Then it comes to light the reaction taken by the first complainer and he realises his joke has gone completely wrong.”
Sheriff takes dim view of prank
Mr Munro said Damean’s life has “moved on” from this “childish behaviour”, adding: “His mother made contact with me to say he had gone to a Romanian recluse on retreat for religious rehabilitation.
“He has left drugs far behind – and accepts the insanity of his behaviour.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnstone however found there was no alternative but to send Damean, of Gillespie Crescent, Aberdeen, to prison for 16 months.
She told him: “You thought it would be a laugh to give them sweets containing cannabis.
“Both became unwell, with one being kept in hospital overnight – the effect was profound.
“There was potential for greater harm given that this was on a building site, within a hazardous environment – it is lucky they did not become unwell while driving a vehicle.
“I also cannot ignore the fact this happened one week after you had been placed on a Community Payback Order for another offence at a solemn level.
“In light of the serious nature of this offence and your previous record, I see no alternative but a custodial sentence.”
‘This was not site banter’
Damean’s victim agreed with the sheriff that the crime was no joke.
He said: “This was not site banter. He should not have been handing out sweets like that – any one of us could have caused a fatal crash on the drive home.
“That is what annoyed me – it was really dangerous.
“I cannot think how someone would find this funny, especially on a building site.
“I had to take two weeks off work until I was feeling better.”