Unpaid work for man found with £2700 of heroin in chocolate box
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A FORMER Moray man who was found with heroin valued at £2700 in a chocolate box has been sentenced to unpaid work.
Paul Mellon (32), who formerly lived on Shearer Avenue in Buckie, dealt drugs to pay off illicit substances debts.
He has since moved to Kirkcaldy in Fife with the aim of starting a new life and has job prospects in the construction industry.
Mellon appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court after admitting being concerned in the supply of drugs. He had amassed a drugs debt and agreed to hold the Class A drug.
His defence solicitor, Stephen Carty, told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank: "He got in tow with individuals in Moray familiar to the court and got involved in drugs.
"Kirkcaldy is an ideal place for him to start afresh as he has connections there. He realised his life was going entirely in the wrong direction."
The court previously heard that Mellon allowed police with a search warrant into his Buckie home on March 9, 2022.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank was told by fiscal depute Robert Weir that officers found several bags of heroin in a Celebrations box, with an approximate street value of £2700. Other drugs paraphernalia and £46.72 was also found.
Sheriff Cruickshank told Mellon that, because of the value of the drugs, what Mr Carty had told him and the contents of the background report, he was able to deal with him in the community rather than send him to prison.
He ordered him to carry out 225 hours of unpaid community work and placed him under 18 months of social work supervision.
