A 29 year old commis chef was jailed for two years after admitting his fourth drug dealing offence yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Kyle Angus, who has Portree connections, had been remanded in custody last month pending a background report.
His solicitor advocate Shahid Latif told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood that his client was expecting a custodial sentence but asked that Angus get credit for pleading at an early opportunity.
Sheriff Fleetwood agreed and discounted the sentence from three years to two years. Angus had admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine at Inverness Railway Station on January 21 this year. He also admitted previous convictions, which includes three for similar offences.
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Michelle Molley told the Court: “On January 21, intelligence was received by police that Angus was in possession of a significant quantity of controlled drugs and efforts were made to trace him.
“About 2310 on the same date three detective constables were carrying out plain clothes foot patrol at Inverness Railway Station when they observed Angus walking from the Edinburgh train platform into the main concourse.
“He was carrying a rucksack. In it was a large amount of white powder in a polythene bag. It was subsequently analysed and found to be 114.83 grams of cocaine.”
Sheriff Fleetwood was told that the drugs had a street value of approximately £4,140 but had the potential to realise £8,500.
Mr Latif said Angus was a courier for the drugs and nothing more.
He went on: “This is an individual who has for much of his adult life struggled with drug addiction.”
Mr Latif added that Angus was drug free for period but he was dragged back into drug use and accrued drug debt.
He said his client had episodic periods of anxiety and depression and: “there is a link between fragile mental health and the use of intoxicants.
“This is a young man who can make something of his life. He was trained as a commis chef and intends returning to that on his release.”