Man caught with cocaine valued at £32,000 near Buckie is jailed for 16 months
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A MAN caught with £32,000 worth of cocaine in his car when stopped near Buckie has been sentenced to 16 months in jail at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Self-employed joiner Ross Bree (31), from Dundee, admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A narcotic on April 20, 2022, but sentencing had been deferred for a background report.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald had been told that Bree was in financial difficulties as a result of being unemployed and his car was under threat of repossession.
Defence solicitor Jane Caird said: "He decided to approach someone he knew who was involved in drugs and was paid £350 to transport them. It was a stupid thing to do."
The court heard that police received a tip-off and officers stopped Bree on the A98 near Buckie and the Oran junction. The court heard that drugs had the potential to realise between £25,760 and £32,200.
Ms Caird tried to persuade Sheriff Macdonald not to jail her client by telling her of his motivation and health issues he suffered which required regular injections.
"He didn't think about the impact on society or the consequences for him," Ms Caird added. "He thought he wouldn't get caught. He is very remorseful."
Sentencing Bree to prison, Sheriff MacDonald said there was no alternative for the court. She said: "You chose to involve yourself in the drugs trade in this way."
