A trio of former housemates have admitted drug dealing charges after a police raid that turned up cannabis, tablets and an air pistol.
Gary Devlin, 38, Kenneth McIver, 38, and John Sutherland, 39, shared a home in Kintail Avenue, Inverness in 2019, which was searched under warrant.
Police found just over 450g of cannabis belonging to Devlin as well as 14,861 tablets of McIver’s in the property.
All three men’s mobile phones were analysed and messages were found that indicated they were involved in drug dealing.
The three men appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court where Gary Devlin admitted a charge of being concerned in the supplying of class B drug cannabis, as well as a charge of possessing an air weapon without a licence.
Kenneth McIver admitted being concerned in the supplying of class C drug Etizolam.
John Sutherland, of Lodge Avenue, Inverness, pled guilty to being concerned in the supplying of cannabis.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood said police had executed a warrant at the home rented by McIver, and where Devlin and Sutherland were lodgers, on September 20 2019.
Police found ‘large bag’ of cannabis
She said: “The police recovered a large bag with 433 grams of cannabis in the room occupied by Gary Devlin as well as a wrap of herbal cannabis weighing 18.51 grams.
“The total value of the drugs is between £1,875 if sold in bulk and £5,196 if sold on in recognised deals.”
The court heard that Devlin, now of Cuthbert Road, Inverness, admitted to being the owner of the drugs.
Subsequent analysis of his mobile phone revealed messages relating to the supply of drugs.
Ms Eastwood said: “Police also recovered an air pistol from the bedside cabinet, which was examined and found to require a certificate under the air weapons and licencing Scotland Act 2015, which the accused Devlin does not possess.”
The pistol was designed to discharge 4.5mm air gun pellets but was in poor external condition and not working.
In relation to McIver, of Kintail Crescent, Inverness, the court heard that the police search also turned up 14,861 tablets containing the class C drug Etizolam.
Ms Eastwood said: “The street value of this is between £2,700 and £7,740. A phone belonging to the accused McIver was analysed and contained messages indicative of being concerned in the supplying of drugs.”
‘Sporadic supply on a social basis’
Sutherland’s phone was also analysed and messages were found that implied he had been involved in “sporadic supply on a social basis” of cannabis.
Sheriff Sara Matheson deferred sentence on all three to next month for the production of reports, after hearing representations from Neil Wilson, on behalf of Sutherland, that his client’s involvement was limited to what had been narrated.
“He is focused on not drifting into this sort of behaviour again,” Mr Wilson added.
Solicitors Clare Russell and David Patterson, for Devlin and McIver respectively, reserved any comments in mitigation until the sentencing.
