Drug addict and thief jailed

Feb 18 2010 by Court Reporter, West Lothian Courier

A DRUG addict and thief asked a sheriff to send him to jail

And David Sinclair was sent to prison after pleading guilty to supplying heroin between February 27 and March 3 last year from houses at New Well Wynd and Union Road in Linlithgow.

He also admitted to stealing a chisel set from Homebase in Falkirk on March 3, 2009 and to possessing a Stanley knife on that same date.

Fiscal Depute Claire Martin told Livingston Sheriff Court last week that on February 27 last year Sinclair (29), of Kingsfield Farm House, Linlithgow, supplied test purchase officers with two £10 bags of heroin.

When police asked him about his involvement in the supply of drugs, he replied: “I buy it but I don’t sell” and said he couldn’t remember meeting the test purchase officers.

When shown film footage, he said it was him, but he wasn’t involved in the supply of drugs.

The court also heard that on March 3 last year Sinclair was stopped by officers in Falkirk and searched and the chisel set, worth around £19.99 was discovered, along with the blade.

Sinclair said he had bought it from Homebase, but he couldn’t produce a receipt and had no money or bank cards on him. He then admitted he had stolen the item.

Sinclair’s solicitor, Charlie Morrison, told the court his mother had supported Sinclair until recently, when she withdrew that support

“At that point in his life he was a heroin addict, he had been since he was 17 years old and was stealing to fund his addiction,” he said. “He has asked to go to prison.”

Mr Morrison continued: “In relation to the drugs matter, he has been addicted for some time.

“On that evening he was asked to take the substance to the officers and in return he would be given heroin, he made no financial gain.”

Sheriff Graeme Fleming jailed Sinclair for a total of 217 days, adding: “No other sentence other than prison is appropriate.”