Dad's drug delivery disaster

Court reporter • Published 17 Feb 2010 15:00

A DOWN-on-his-luck dad accepted £50 to deliver drugs because he needed the cash to visit his ill parents.

Newly-unemployed builder Gary Sanders, 36, agreed to make the drop of more £1,000 worth of deadly heroin, but the gamble backfired when he was caught with the drug and a lock knife he had taken for protection.

And to make matters worse, Sanders' father passed away while he was in custody.

Police had received information that Sanders was carrying a blade, Liz Ross, fiscal depute, told Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.

After observing him get out of a taxi at an address in Clydebank, officers approached Sanders and told him they wanted to search him toy look for the weapon.

Mr Ross said: "[Sanders] agreed and during the search they found within his right jeans pocket a polythene bag containing brown powder."

Under questioning Sanders said he did not know what was in the bag and said it was not his.

He made no comment when asked how it got there.

Ms Ross said: "The search continued and the police found in his rear right jeans pockets a black handled lock-back knife.

"Asked why he had it he made no comment."

Lab tests confirmed the brown powder to be 24.66 grammes of class A heroin - worth around £1,230 if sold in 'tenner bags' on the street.

Sanders pled guilty to having a knife and to possessing heroin with intent to supply it on November 20 last year at Burnside Court, Mountblow.

Mr Freeman, defending, said Sanders had lost a long-standing construction job and needed money to visit his terminally ill dad and poorly mum in Glasgow, as well as to provide for his four children who stay with their mother.

Mr Freeman said: "He found himself in a very difficult position financially.

"He had applied for benefits but there was a fairly lengthy period where he had nothing coming in at all.

"The opportunity arose where he was offered fifty pounds to convey the drugs mentioned to Burnside Court to meet another individual and hand them over in a lane.

"He didn't appreciate the severity of his actions although he accepts he knew it was wrong."

The lawyer added that Sanders's father, who he would travel to help out round the house while at liberty, sadly died while he was in prison waiting to appear in court.

Sentencing, Sheriff Simon Pender said Sanders had shown intent to carry the knife for protection which could have caused damage to someone.

He added that being involved with class A drugs was a serious issue.

Sanders, who appeared from Greenock Prison, was sentenced to a total of two years and two months in jail for the offences.

Luckless dad's drug

delivery disaster

TEXT.

A 25-YEAR-OLD stall holder was threatened by a man with a bladed weapon during Saturday's, Three Queens Square market in Clydebank.

The incident happened between 1pm and 1.30pm. The suspect is described as being aged between 20 and 30-years-of age, 5ft 6in tall, bald or balding with a slim build and pale complexion.

He is further described as wearing a dark 'outdoors' type jacket, T-shirt and jeans.

If you can help police identify this man, call Clydebank police office.

A 28-YEAR-OLD man allegedly head-butted and punched a 30-year-old man at an address in Gilmour Avenue, Hardgate, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A 21-YEAR-OLD man allegedly shouted and swore, assaulted a 20-year-old woman, and behaved in a disorderly manner following a domestic disturbance at an address on Kilbowie Road, Clydebank, in the early hours of Saturday.

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy allegedly breached his bail conditions by not being at his home address on Durban Avenue, Dalmuir, at 7.30pm on Saturday.

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy allegedly swore at police officers on Radnor Street, Radnor Park, on Friday evening.

A 21-YEAR-OLD woman allegedly shouted and swore and resisted arrest at Dalmuir train station on Friday night.

A MOPED was stolen from outside an address in Albert Road, Parkhall, between 6pm on Wednesday and 7.30am on Thursday.

TWO 31-year-old men, a 23-year-old man and a 49-year-old man were all allegedly near to a premises on North Avenue, Clydebank Business Park, with the intention of committing a theft on Wednesday evening. The 49-year-old man was also allegedly carrying a knife.

A BICYCLE and power tools were stolen from a shed at the rear of a property in Alder Road, Parkhall, between 9am on Monday February 8 and 4.30pm the next day.

THIEVES stole a boy's trail bike from a garage at the rear of a property on Faifley Road, Faifley, at approximately 4pm on Tuesday February 9. Police are keen to trace a group of approximately five boys aged around 16 who are thought to have been involved in the theft.

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