Prison for teenager who supplied drugs to school pupils
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A Forres teenager who was caught supplying ecstasy and cannabis to young people has been jailed for nine months.
Jordan Mackenzie (18) pleaded guilty to supplying the class A drug, which found their way to secondary school students in the area and hospitalised a young girl.
The ecstasy featured the cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants and were bright yellow in colour.
Mackenzie appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court on Thursday after sentencing had been deferred for the preparation of a background report.
At an earlier hearing Mackenzie, of Torridon Park, pleaded guilty to supplying the class A drug ecstasy and class B drug cannabis at Torridon Park; Doocot Park, New Elgin and elsewhere between December 17, 2017 and October 2, 2018.
Fiscal depute Alex Swain told the court on Thursday that the police investigation began when young people become ill after taking the drug which featured the cartoon character.
She said that a 15-year-old and 17-year-old, who were students at Elgin Academy and Elgin High School, were selling ecstasy on behalf of Mackenzie.
In December 2017 the 17-year-old made contact with Mackenzie to purchase quantities of ecstasy.
In August 2018 the same student attended the Belladrum Tartan Heart festival where the court heard he sold 40-100 tablets, which had been supplied by Mackenzie. However the teenager lost the money from the sales of the drug.
Ms Swain said: "The accused told the student that to repay the debt he would have to sell ecstasy on his behalf."
In September last year, Mackenzie gave 150 bright yellow tablets with the Spongebob character to him, which the teenager sold to school pupils who attended at Elgin Academy and elsewhere for £10 a tablet.
Meanwhile, the 15-year-old also contacted Mackenzie to see if he could provide ecstasy. Mackenzie told the student to meet at Doocot Park on a Friday evening and supplied the young person with 10 tablets, which cost £70.
The fiscal depute told the court that the teenager consumed some of the tablets and noticed they were stronger and made him feel unwell.
At the end of September some girls at one of the schools asked the 17-year-old to get ecstasy for them as they knew he could source it.
The group became in possession of tablets and an agreement was made for them to pay the supplier later.
Ms Swain said: "One of the female students consumed two tablets and as a consequence was taken to Dr Gray's Hospital due to her adverse reaction to the tablets."
She was kept overnight at the hospital and recovered but was found to be highly under the influence of ecstasy.
Mackenzie and the 17-year-old and 15-year-old students were arrested by police and interviewed. Drug search warrants were also executed but no drugs were found at Mackenzie's property.
During one of the police searches a bag of yellow powder was seized and the person told police he had bought it from Mackenzie.
A further drug search warrant was carried out at his home on October 3 last year but no drugs were found. His mobile phone was seized and he was arrested.
When the phone was examined various messages were found relating to the supply of drugs.
Mackenzie's solicitor Robert Cruickshank told the court: "He is a first offender and in relation to the offence concerned it is reassuring to note he reflects the distress his actions have put upon his family and others."
Mr Cruickshank said his client was remorseful and was thankful of the ongoing support of his family.
He added: "The court can have confidence this is an isolated matter. He is now working, in a settled relationship with his partner and demonstrated a wish and desire to put this offending behind him."
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov said: "I realise you are a young man and remorseful of your actions but I can't ignore the fact that it was over 10 months and went from a bit of bravado and turned into a commercial enterprise.
"You see reports of young people succumbing to the effects of ecstasy and it was fortunate the consequences were not more severe."
