A drug dealer snared after being caught drunk behind the wheel of his car was today behind bars after being told he faces a “significant” prison term.
William Hawes was caught after a witness called police and said they believed he was under the influence.
Police found him sitting in the motor with the engine running in Dundee’s Law Road.
A breath test found he was just over the drink drive limit – with 27 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 22.
A search of the car then found two bags of heroin hidden inside the vehicle.
A sheriff told him he faces a “serious” jail sentence – blaming dealers like him for soaring death rates amongst drug users in Dundee.
Sheriff Alastair Brown said new figures showed there were 51 drug deaths in Dundee in 2017, up from 38 in 2016, a jump of around 33 percent.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told Dundee Sheriff Court the drugs were worth a total of POUNDS 8660 – and that other evidence was found in his house linking him to drug dealing.
Hawes, 26, of Court Street, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of being drunk in charge of a car and being concerned in the supply of diamorphine.
Defence solicitor Gary McIlravey said: “He doesn’t have the worst record and nothing to do with drugs.
“However, there are numerous road traffic offences.
“He was told to move the heroin from A to B – he stops short of saying he was threatened however.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and remanded Haws in custody meantime.
He said there had been 51 drug deaths in Dundee in 2017 – up from 38 in 2016 – and that heroin was a factor in over half of those deaths.
Sheriff Brown added: “That fact means that dealing with diamorphine in Dundee is an offence that is particularly serious and I find it very difficult to see how anything other than a significant prison sentence can be imposed.
“Those minded to deal in diamorphine in Dundee must understand it will be met with serious sentencing.”
