A former heroin addict from Fraserburgh has been told to complete unpaid work after he was caught with 17 wraps of the drug hidden in a Kinder Egg.
Paul Rennie, 48, was spotted by police constables in the Robertson Road area of Fraserburgh in September last year where
Fiscal depute Lydia Williams told Peterhead Sheriff Court he was acting “agitated” and tried to leave the scene by bicycle.
During his retreat he dropped both his mobile phone and a yellow capsule from a Kinder Egg.
Inside the latter, 16 wraps of heroin weighing 0.1g and one weighing 0.2g were found. If sold as they were, she said, the narcotics had a combined street value of £117.
‘He is no longer using that drug’
In mitigation, Rennie’s defence agent, Sam Milligan, told the court his client may benefit from some form of supervision.
Questioned by Sheriff Annella Cowan on how he was able to afford a £50 or £60 per day heroin habit as indicated in his background report, Mr Milligan explained Rennie was no longer a user.
Mr Milligan said: “That was some time ago and at that point he was in employment.
“My lady will see he is no longer using that drug.”
Sheriff Cowan sentenced Rennie, of Anderson Court, Fraserburgh, to 18 months of supervision under the social work department and told him he would also need to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within one year.
Rennie had earlier pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin ahead of this week’s hearing.