Buckie man found with heroin ‘in a tin under a bed’ is jailed

A man who had previously been convicted of supplying drugs in Moray was jailed after being found with heroin hidden in a tin under a bed.

Ian MacDougall, from Buckie, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting the offence during an appearance at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Sentence had been deferred at a prior court appearance in order for background reports on the 54-year-old and his partner, 58-year-old Allison Mackenzie, to be prepared.

Sheriff Gary Aitken was told previously that police officers raided the couple’s home on Raffan Road, Buckie, and were told that heroin was hidden in a tin under a bed.

As the search continued on May 30, 2023, 71.2 grams of the Class A narcotic were discovered, as well as another tin containing other drugs.

At an earlier hearing fiscal depute Karen Poke told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank, who took the pair's guilty pleas, that when police entered the property, Mackenzie, who admitted to simple possession of cannabis, codeine, dihydrocodeine and Lorazepam, volunteered the information about the location of the diamorphine.

Ms Poke added: "She said the heroin belonged to her co-accused, who was selling it to others.

“The street value if sold in £10 deals would be £3560."

MacDougall admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Sheriff Aitken placed Mackenzie under six months of social work supervision but decided to imprison MacDougall after noting he had "a direct analogous conviction, albeit some time ago" for supplying drugs.

He told MacDougall's lawyer Iain Maltman: "He is in a dramatically different situation from his co-accused."

Mr Maltman said: "Much of his adult life has been categorised by long periods of substance misuse and addiction.

“There was little expectation of financial gain here."

But Sheriff Aitken told MacDougall: "Anyone involved in a drugs chain plays an important part."