A career criminal returned to drug dealing when his “successful” restaurant for dogs closed after splitting with his partner, a court has heard.
Andrew Cain, 38, was arrested when police found his DNA on packages of heroin, which were discovered in a bag on the banks of the River Don in Aberdeen in September 2021.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard today how Scottish detectives established that Cain had been arrested in his home city in Liverpool in November last year.
They also discovered that Cain had two previous convictions for drug dealing and had served lengthy periods in custody.
Cain, of Hyton in Liverpool, pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin in the Stoneywood area of Aberdeen.
Judge Lady Carmichael jailed Cain for five years and 219 days.
Moments earlier, she had heard defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson say that Cain had become involved in the drugs trade after having some success as a conventional businessman.
Mr Paterson added: “After coming out of prison, he set up a hospitality company with his partner. It was a dogs restaurant – a restaurant for dogs.
“It was relatively successful until he split from his partner at Christmas time in 2019.”
Cain’s Liverpool restaurant was called the Pups and Cups Bistro.
Cain and his co-owner came up with the idea when they were thinking about the perfect place for a ‘pup-date’.
The venue had an astroturfed gated garden and a place where dogs could play with other pets.
On Monday, prosecutor Paul Harvey said police in Aberdeen received a tip-off in September 2021 that a bag containing drugs was being stored beside the river.
Officers went to the scene and recovered heroin with a total street value of £5,210.
Detectives also found DNA belonging to Cain and discovered that he had been arrested on another matter in Liverpool.
Scottish officers also discovered that Cain had previously done two stretches for drug dealing in England – serving 32 months and five years respectively.
Sectioned and on antipsychotic drugs
Mr Harvey told the court: “The police were informed that the accused had been arrested in Liverpool.
“When the accused was asked about the discovery of the drugs in Aberdeen, he said he had never been to Scotland before.
“When he was cautioned and charged by the police in relation to the Scottish discovery, he replied ‘not guilty’.”
However, Scottish police still managed to find enough evidence to prove Cain’s guilt.
Mr Paterson told the court that his client suffered from poor mental health following the split from his partner and became involved with crime.
He said that Cain, who had appeared from custody, had been sectioned and was now on antipsychotic drugs.
Mr Paterson added: “He is a relatively vulnerable man.”
Discount for pleading guilty
Lady Carmichael told Cain that the law stated that he should be given an automatic seven-year jail term as it was his third conviction for drug dealing.
She added: “However, the law allows me to discount the sentence in the event of an early plea of guilty.
“Given you have pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, I will discount your sentence from seven years to one of five years and 219 days.
“I will also backdate this to November 11 2021 – the date you were arrested in connection with the offence.”
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