Men jailed for transporting £500,000 of cannabis

Nov 17 2011 West Lothian Courier

TWO men who were caught transporting cannabis with a street value of more than £500,000 have been sent to prison.

Walter Paterson (61) and Scott Westell (36) were jailed for 27 months and 32 months respectively at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday.

The pair had pleaded guilty to being concerned in drug supply charges at the High in Glasgow last month.

Passing sentence, Lord Brailsford said there was no alternative to imposing jail terms on the pair.

On the earlier occasion, the High Court heard how Paterson had been spotted driving a Citroen car from the car park of the Premier Inn hotel in Livingston, to Lindsaybegg Road in Lenzie, Dunbartonshire.

Their car was stopped after Paterson of Kilsyth, Dunbartonshire, was spotted by traffic cops committing a “road traffic violation”.

Once stopped, the officers were stunned to smell the drug which was being kept in the back of the car.

The court also heard how officers then obtained a search warrant for Westell’s house in Pumpherston and discovered that his property was being used as a storage facility for local drug dealers.

Detectives reckon the cannabis seized had a maximum street value of £571,000.

On Monday, defence advocate Paul McBride QC, told the court that Paterson suffered from heart problems and became involved in the drugs trade because his business had hit upon hard times.

Westell’s defence solicitor, advocate Liam O’Donnell, told the court that his client had a previous conviction for being involved in the supply of drugs but was sorry for getting involved in the crime.

Lord Brailsford said the two men were at the bottom of the drug dealing business and that their sentences reflected the fact that they both pleaded guilty at an earlier appearance.