Drug dealer sentenced to 30 months 15/9/11
A Western Isles drug dealer whose trial defence team openly conceded he had stashes of cocaine and cannabis and planned to sell them on has been sent to jail for 30 months.
Thousands of pounds found in Richard Andrew Robertson‘s house at 87 Seaforth Road, Stornoway, was also confiscated following an application to the court by fiscal David Teale yesterday.
The 30-
In an unusual move, the vital details of the crime were openly agreed by the defence in the trial.
Robertson had pleaded not guilty but his advocate, Sean Templeton, fully concurred with the prosecution that his client possessed and planned to sell the various drugs found in the house.
The jury found Robertson guilty by an unanimous decision.
The development came about as Robertson had been considering appealing to a higher court on a legal point and the sheriff court outcome was deemed a necessary part of the process.
The trial heard Robertson was totally unknown to the police and was only stopped and searched after an unnamed telephone caller alleged he was dealing at the weekends.
A wrap of cocaine was found on him, outside his home, on the evening of Saturday 19th September.
He was taken to the town’s police station and later taken back when his flat was being searched.
Cocaine wraps and £3,040 in notes were found in a cashbox in a bedroom wardrobe.
A further £375 in cash was discovered in the kitchen and more drugs found in a cupboard.
The cocaine had a street value of £2,267 while 21 wraps of cannabis were worth over £600.
He originally faced eight allegations but during the trial this was reduced to two
charges -
Yesterday (wed) his defence lawyer pleaded in vain to keep him out of jail saying Robertson “bitterly regrets his involvement.”
He said the “stress and worry on himself and his family is very significant.”
“He wishes to put this behind him and do the right thing by his family.”
Sheriff Sutherland sentenced him for 30 months for dealing cocaine and one year for the cannabis offence. Both sentences will run concurrently.