Court / Fined for cannabis supply

A MAN from Gott was fined £300 at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Tuesday after admitting being concerned in the supply of cannabis and cannabis resin.

Jonathan Stevens, of Stura, carried out the offence at an address in Lerwick on 11 April last year.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said police carried out a search warrant at the Hoofields address, which was occupied by the 43-year-old at the time.

Officers recovered a “small quantity” of drugs – cannabis worth £80 and cannabis resin which had a value of £60.

Mackenzie said Stevens admitted to police that he had an agreement with a friend which would see his associate order cannabis for delivery to Stevens’ address.

The fiscal said that both parties would then keep half of the drugs each.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client, who had never been in court before, may have faced a lesser charge if it was not for his “full cooperation with the police” which led to the admission over the supply.

He said the drugs was “very much at the lower end of quantity” and was in effect a “social supply”.

The solicitor added that Stevens had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge as he did not view himself as a “drug dealer”, but he later admitted the offence after taking account of the law.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said he took note of what had been said in court and fined Stevens £300. He also granted a crown motion for forfeiture of the items seized by police during their search.