A drug dealer who boasted of offering the “best sniff in Aberdeen” has been jailed after a sheriff criticised his “enthusiasm” for crime.
Lennon McDonald, 23, claimed he had been forced into dealing to pay off a drug debt, but an examination of his phone revealed he was “actually revelling in being a drug dealer”.
McDonald crowed about offering the “best sniff in Aberdeen” and claimed his drugs were “straight from Peru”.
Fiscal depute David Ballock police received intelligence that McDonald was involved in the sale and supply of Class A drugs from his home on Auchmill Road in Bucksburn.
At 9.40am on June 15 2022, officers executed a search warrant and forced entry to the address.
McDonald was traced within and told officers: “It’s in the kitchen cupboard on the left.
“I’ve f***** up. I don’t do it for me.”
‘He was doing this for someone else’
A search of the property was carried out and cocaine and cannabis recovered from the kitchen, as well as mobile phones, scales and £640 in cash.
In total, police found 135.94g of cocaine, worth up to £13,470, and 37.37g of cannabis worth a maximum of £540.
An examination of the phones revealed numerous messages indicative of drug dealing.
These included:
- Outgoing – “Gee me 150 and u can keep the 4 ur owe and the other 40
from at 2 20’s” - Incoming – “Hi Lennon bud I have 50 for u today, can I get a 30 of weed please bud James”
- Incoming – “I will have the rest on Friday and tomorrow I will have some more to give you bud in the next couple of days and the rest on Thursday bud thanks James”
- Outgoing – “Sorry bud was dying from a hangover yesterday I’d just come down I’ll sort the weed bud”
- Incoming – “Hi Lennon, dyker is away. Mary is asking can we get a 30 of white and put that on our tab for Friday please bud thanks James and Mary”
- Outgoing – “All I’m saying is I’ve got the best sniff in Aberdeen guarantee”
- Outgoing – “Give u half g for 40 if you give me a lift bro”
- Outgoing – “Bro trust me if u pick me up to get it I’ll show u the best stuff you’ve ever seen 100% straight from Peru”
McDonald, of Auchmill Road, Aberdeen, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis between May 27 2022 and June 15 2022.
Defence agent Alex Burn said the case was an “all too familiar story”, with his client being a heavy cannabis user and building up a drug debt.
He said he was then pressured into getting involved in dealing to pay off that debt.
Mr Burn said McDonald was a first offender and had not been in any trouble before or since.
‘The only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment’
He said his client had a “troubled background” but added: “I’d submit he has shown contrition.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan said: “It’s been said, essentially, he was doing this for someone else, but he’s boasting to people about how good a service he provides.
“He doesn’t seem like someone who is under significant pressure and troubled by the fact he has to do what he’s doing.
“It’s somebody who’s actually revelling in being a drug dealer.”
The sheriff went on: “It looks as if he’s somebody who has taken to the role and embraced it and done so for the best part of a month.”
Mr Burn argued McDonald’s communication had come across that way due to his “immaturity”.
Addressing McDonald directly: “Given the extent of your involvement and what I have described as your enthusiasm in committing the offence, I have taken the view that the only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment.”
He jailed McDonald for a total of 13 months.
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