A sheriff has issued a stark warning about the dangers of drug-taking.
Sheriff Andrew Berry spoke out, after hearing that Dominic Long admitted to police he was “off his face” with valium.
The 21-year-old was jailed for 15 months after he pleaded guilty charges of burglary and obstruction, on indictment.
Wick Sheriff Court was told yesterday that the serial offender was caught in the act, by police at a neighbour’s house in Marr Terrace, Thurso, a few doors down from the accused’s home. The owner was working away from home.
Officers acting on a tip-off, on March 19, found the 21-year-old preparing to move two television sets, two bags of loose coins, various sums of money and variety of household goods. Long volunteered that he was in possession of drugs and attempted to swallow something.
It was retrieved by police but the quantity was so small it was impossible to ascertain what it was.
The court was told that Long carried out the break-in, only 11 days after being released from prison for a previous offence and had scorned the opportunity to make a fresh start.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that Long had admitted to having taken a quantity of valium on the day in question and had told told police that he had previously consumed 100 tablets of the drug in a 24-hour period.
Sheriff Berry, who noted the short time lapse between Long getting out of prison and committing a further offence told him: “I am probably wasting my time saying this, but people who consume, not only nonsensical quantities of drugs but some they don’t know the content of, are likely to cause themselves serious illness or even death.”
Long was jailed for the burglary but admonished on the obstruction charge.
The jail term was back-dated to March 20 when the accused was arrested.
Long was said to be intending to join family in Ayrshire, on his release.
