Drug offences

A man got his summer stay in Lewis off to a bad start after being convicted of drug charges at Stornoway Sheriff Court.

Craig MacLean - who was caught with illegal drugs as well as knuckle duster on Stornoway’s number one pier in September 2014 - was warned he faces jail if he gets into any more trouble.

The 24-year-old whose address was given as 116A / Room 6, Don Street, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing Ecstasy, MDMA and Mephedrone.

He was found guilty, after trial, of having a knuckle duster.

Maclean maintained he was unaware the offensive weapon - which belonged to a friend - was in his bag, after packing in a rush.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said he was fortunate police did not charge him with the more serious offence of supply, “given the quantity of drugs.”

The sheriff said: “There is the distinct possibility of getting yourself in trouble and I just want to keep an eye on you.”

He imposed a one year community payback order and instructed Livingston to undertake 250 hours of unpaid community service work as an alternative to a prison sentence.

The sheriff suggested Maclean could complete a chunk of his unpaid work on Lewis before returning to Aberdeen in the autumn.

Knuckle-duster man caught with drugs

5 June 2015