Lanarkshire man caught with heroin worth £10k was 'useful idiot' for drug dealers

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Lanarkshire man caught with heroin worth nearly £10,000 was a "useful idiot" for drug dealers, his lawyer has claimed.Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that police officers turned up at James Smith's Stonehouse home with a search warrant.John Coogan, prosecuting, said: "The accused was in the living room.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android "When the search started he told the officers, 'It's heroin, you'll find it there', while pointing to an Asda bag close to where he was sitting."The bag contained 204g of heroin with a potential value of £8900 if sold in the usual tenner bag deals."Police officers also recovered £215 in cash."Smith, 50, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin at his home in Patrickholm Avenue on October 21, 2020.An allegation that he had the Class A drug with intent to supply others at his home on December 16, 2021, was dropped.Defence agent Scott Jones said Smith had relapsed into drug use after a number of family bereavements and dealers forced him to look after their heroin.The solicitor told the court: "He became heavily indebted to those who were supplying him."He was taken advantage of and threats were made against him and his family."He succumbed to the pressure and became a useful idiot to these people.