Court / Lerwick man admits drugs supply charge

A FIFTY nine year old man who had over £500-worth of heroin in his home will be sentenced next month. 

Steven Priest, of Nederdale, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of the class A substance after a police search on 6 June this year uncovered 10.55 grammes with a value of £520 when broken down.

Quantities of cocaine and class C drug Pregabalin were also found at his property, Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Priest’s involvement in dealing was “relatively limited”, but the quantity of diamorphine found by police was “over that which could be inferred for personal use”.

A sum of £1,830 was also recovered from the property, for which the crown is seeking a confiscation order.

Priest’s defence agent said his involvement was “simply to fund his own habit” and, while his criminal record did him no favours, his most serious offences occurred more than a decade ago.

Sheriff Iain Cruickshank noted that Priest did not appear to be in very good physical health and called for a criminal justice social work report.

His bail was continued, and sentence was deferred until 18 August.