A man who made a late-night drug deal outside a primary school was later caught flushing cocaine down his toilet during a police raid.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told drug dealer Paul Brady met his customer at the rear of New Elgin Primary School in the early hours of the morning.
His home was later raided by police, who found him trying to flush a bag containing a “white substance” down the toilet.
Drug dealer’s guilty plea
Brady, 27, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit charges of supplying a class B drug and attempting to pervert the course of justice by attempting to dispose of evidence.
He also pled guilty to possessing cocaine and to resisting, obstructing or hindering the officers who tried to arrest him by struggling violently, as well as assaulting one of them by kicking him
Fiscal depute Susan Love said it was around 3am on December 14 of 2020 that Brady arranged, via messaging, to meet someone at the rear of New Elgin Primary School to sell them cannabis.
Then in April 2021 police received intelligence about Brady “dealing controlled drugs from his home address” causing them to seek a warrant for the property.
His Birkenhill Place home was raided at around 3.30pm on May 27 2021.
Police raid heard ‘sound of flushing’
Ms Love told the court: “Entry was forced into the address and, upon entering, the accused could be seen in the bathroom and was trying to flush what appeared to be controlled drugs down the toilet as the sound of flushing could be heard.
“He was handcuffed and brought into the living room. From within the toilet bowl a clear bag containing a white substance was recovered.”
Brady was cautioned and detained and a search of his person recovered a further wrap containing a white substance.
“The accused advised it was his personal cocaine and was around four grams worth,” the fiscal depute told Sheriff Gary Aitken.
Dealer said he was ‘hearing voices’
Brady then became “agitated” and claimed to be “hearing voices” before adopting an “aggressive demeanour” with officers.
He was cautioned and arrested but resisted initial attempts to take him to the police station by tensing his body and trying to catch onto an object with his feet.
The court heard that four officers struggled to maintain control of Brady and one of them was kicked as Brady was placed into a police can.
Due to his presentation, Brady was checked over at Dr Grays Hospital before being declared fit and taken to custody.
At interview, Brady denied attempting to flush drugs down the toilet and stated that the drugs found were “for his personal use”.
Ms Love said the search recovered 6.79grams of cocaine, worth around £300 to £500.
His solicitor Grant Daglish advised the court that his client is currently serving a prison sentence at HMP Low Moss.
Sheriff Aitken said: “I will get a criminal justice social work report just to see what they are able to tell me about your background and the circumstances of this offence.”
He deferred sentence to next month.
