Keith man jailed after 999 call to save life of drug dealer
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A 27-YEAR-OLD Keith man phoned the emergency services after saving the life of a man who was staying with him.
But the overdose victim was a drug dealer and Billy Henderson, of Mid Street, Keith, was allowing him to use his property on February 8 last year to deal in heroin and diazepam.
When police and ambulance services arrived at the property, officers saw drugs and associated paraphernalia. Henderson was later arrested.
Drugs with a maximum value of £6740 and the diazepam pills worth about £3000 were recovered, as well as £445 in cash. Scales and mobile phones belonging to Henderson which contained incriminating messages were also found.
Henderson was jailed for a year by Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Defence solicitor Matthew O'Neill said his client had "appeared in court too often in the past. But there seems to have been significant progress on his behalf since these offences.
"He allowed those involved in the trade to stay in his accommodation.
"He had his own difficulties with drugs at the time but he has tried to turn a corner. He has attended training courses to become a barber."
Mr O'Neill added: "This only came to light because he saved the life of the man who took an overdose by contacting the emergency services."
However, Sheriff Macdonald said there was no alternative to a custodial sentence because of Henderson's record and the amount of drugs recovered.
