Armadale man jailed after being caught with £5000 of cannabis

Dec 24 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A GRANDFATHER caught with over £5000 worth of cannabis in his house has been jailed.

Police received a tip-off that Robert McLernon, 46, was dealing cannabis resin from his home in Armadale.

When officers raided his house on February 10 this year they found 13 packets of the class B drug along with six nine-ounce bars and £330 in cash.

Senior fiscal depute Helen McCannell told the court the street value of the drugs was estimated at £5400.

Last week at Livingston Sheriff Court McLernon, whose address was given as Woodend Walk, Armadale, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the class B drug.

His solicitor, Charlie Morrison, told the court the Crown had accepted that six of the nine-ounce bars were being held by his client for another person.

“He was only keeping it for a few days until it was to be uplifted. There was no financial gain to him an he was effectively doing another person a favour,” Mr Morrison added.

“He was selling one nine-bar to friends. Half of it had been sold and half of it was made up in the deals found in the drawer.

“He has had an alcohol problem for the majority of his life. Over this time he has owed people money and favours.

“In relation to this offence he was asked to do a person a favour.

“It felt like he couldn’t refuse and he has stupidly become involved in something he ought not to.

“He tells me that in some ways he is relieved to have been caught as he will not be asked to do it again.

“He has never before committed an offence under the misuse of drugs act.

“He was clearly involved in low level dealing to friends which he accepts.”

Sheriff Donald Muirhead told McLernon only a custodial sentence would suffice because of the amounts of drugs found at his home.

Sentencing him to 23 months imprisonment Sheriff Muirhead added: “I am sure that you do feel silly about all this. You did what was required to do with your alcohol problem and as your solicitor said you have not been committing many offences.

“You were getting assistance and cooperating with your probation order. But for some reason you agreed to assist people with the drug trade and benefited from it to a certain extent.

“There is a lot to be said for you personally in mitigation but I have a duty to send out a message to the community that this behaviour is not acceptable to the court.

“In all the circumstances I feel that no other sentence but imprisonment is appropriate because of the amounts involved.”