A Buckie man who turned to dealing drugs after losing his job offshore has been jailed.
Ross Sherman, 26, was forced to find a new line of work when he lost his £40,000-a-year position amid the North Sea oil downturn.
But yesterday Elgin Sheriff Court heard how he began a new lifestyle of “working hard and playing hard” while employed as a labourer.
Fiscal Robert Weir said police officers on mobile patrol searched Sherman on Saturday, April 29, and found three bags of cocaine on him.
The fiscal said: “They later searched his house and recovered a number of items, including more cocaine split up into two bags weighing two grams each.
“Those were worth £50 together, and then police found more small bags with £990 in cash inside.”
The court heard that subsequent investigations revealed that Sherman had been selling friends the Class A substance.
The accused appeared on remand, having been locked up on May 2.
As well as admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine, Sherman pleaded guilty to another charge of possessing ecstasy on February 10 this year.
The court heard that 16 tablets, with a potential value of £160, were discovered at his home on Buckie’s Ewing Crescent.
The court heard Sherman did not profit from the sale of the cocaine, but acted as a “conduit”.
Sheriff Peter Anderson sentenced him to nine months in prison.
