A DRUMRY man spotted by plain-clothes police officers buying heroin from a dealer in the street outside his home has agreed to be placed on an intensive testing and treatment programme to tackle his drug problem.

A court hearing on Friday was told that Colin Brodie, 42, of Alsatian Avenue, had been assessed as a suitable candidate for a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to a charge of possessing the class A substance.

As previously reported in the Post, Brodie was caught after police on plain-clothes patrol saw him exchanging items with a man in a car outside his home at around 5.45pm on September 26.

When confronted by the officers, Brodie immediately admitted that two bags found in his trouser pocket contained heroin which he had just bought for £50.

The order will require Brodie to undertake treatment for his drug use and regular tests to make sure he is not taking drugs, as well as attending court regularly for updates on his progress.

Placing Brodie on a DTTO for 12 months at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, Sheriff John Hamilton told him: “This is the beginning of a process.

“It’s a positive step so let’s see you take advantage of the chance you’ve got.”