Drugs courier caught with £25,000 worth of heroin after motorbike crash is jailed for 15 months
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A DRUGS courier who was caught with more than £25,000 worth of heroin after crashing his motorcycle has been jailed for 15 months.
Garry Collie (38) of Duncan Drive, Elgin, was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after breaking his leg and damaging his knee in the accident on the town's Thornhill Road on Sunday, July 28, 2019.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard previously that police officers who attended were given a rucksack belonging to Collie by paramedics. They had to cut it free from the injured man.
Fiscal depute Alex Swain said that the zip was open and officers could see inside that there was a brown taped package, a bag containing brown powder and £1556 inside another bag.
Analysis later revealed that there was a total of 511.5 grams of heroin, with a maximum street value of £25,210. Mr Collie was not charged at the time of his crash, Ms Swain added.
It was a year before Collie was able to appear in court on July 7, 2020, charged with being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug. He admitted the offence.
Sheriff Gary Aitken deferred sentence for a background report until Thursday, July 22, when defence solicitor Stephen Carty said his client accepted that a jail sentence was inevitable.
"He got involved in alcohol, it led to drugs and heroin," he said. "He agreed to transport a quantity of drugs and he accepts the folly of that decision.
"He was not in a fit state to drive a motorcycle and there was an accident.
"This has given him a jolt regarding his drug addiction and has sought help."
Sheriff Aitken forfeited the cash sum retrieved and told Collie that because of a similar previous conviction and the amount of drugs involved, there was no alternative to custody.
"I seriously hope this has been a wake-up call for you," the Sheriff added.
"Jail is serious enough but you are lucky to be here as motorcycle accidents can have more serious consequences."
