Police officers became suspicious that the man they were speaking to was a drug dealer when his phone started ringing and he immediately smashed it on the ground.
Officers were in the middle of questioning Stuart Johnstone about an incident in Alness when his dramatic reaction to a simple phone call raised eyebrows.
That prompted them to seize the mobile and get a search warrant for Johnstone’s Easter Ross home – which ultimately resulted in a fruitful drugs raid.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told officers were talking to the 27-year-old in Dingwall on May 31 2020 when his phone rang and he attempted to destroy it by hurling it onto the pavement.
They got a search warrant for Johnstone’s then address in Firhill and bags of pills and a Kinder egg filled with tablets were found in the property.
Troubled background led to drug misuse
The court was previously told that in total, 5,985 pills of etizolam – a Class C drug with a total street value of approximately £6,000 – were recovered.
The phone was subsequently examined and messages relating to drug dealing were found.
Johnstone, now of Cromarty House, Dingwall, admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs at an earlier hearing and sentence had been deferred for a background report.
Defence solicitor advocate Clare Russell told Sheriff Sara Matheson that her client had a troubled upbringing which he was struggling to deal with.
“That often leads to drugs misuse to self-medicate and historically he has had a significant drug problem,” she said.
“He had a limited recollection of the offences as he was heavily under the influence of tablets at the time.
“However he has made efforts to distance himself from that lifestyle and has regained high-paid employment as a diver.
“He knows he is at a crossroads today and needs to take all the help on offer to him.”
Sentencing Johnstone to 225 hours of unpaid work, Sheriff Matheson told him: “You are getting into the territory of a prison sentence unless you sort yourself out. You would be better spending your money on counselling instead of cocaine.”
