Inverness heroin courier tried to play down his role as 'only the driver' city court hears as he is jailed
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An Inverness man who tried to play down his role as being "only the driver" when police stopped a car containing just over £7000 of heroin, was told he was still a vital cog in the supply chain and jailed for 18 months.
Clive Topping (45) of Bruce Gardens, appeared from custody via a video link to Inverness Sheriff Court today (Thursday) and admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug.
His jail sentence was backdated to May 17 when he was remanded in custody after two failures to attend court when required.
Fiscal Adelle Gray told the court police had information that the car Topping was driving contained drugs and was stopped on the A9 as it entered the Highlands.
One of the two passengers appeared under the influence of a substance she said and the other in the back seat next to a large wrap of diamorphine (heroin) appeared to be unconscious.
All three were taken to Burnett Road Police Station in Inverness and arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the distribution of drugs.
Mobile phones were seized along with wraps of heroin weighing in total 105.5 grams and worth £7040 if sold on the street in tenner bag deals, said Ms Gray.
A female co-accused from Inverness has not come before the courts yet, while the male passenger from Liverpool has pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin.
Defence solicitor Clare Russell referred to a social inquiry report on Topping which appeared to indicate he was not accepting responsibility for these events.
She added: "He said he was concerned as a courier, the driver, and not making money out of this apart from being paid as the driver. He was not handling the drugs and being involved in the profit.
"He now accepts couriers are very essential cogs in the drug supply chain."
She asked Sheriff Gordon Lamont to take into consideration that Topping has been five months on remand, the equivalent of a 10-month jail sentence, and that there had been a five year gap in his offending until this charge.
Ms Russell added: "He clearly lacked a degree of foresight into the possible repercussions and his five months in custody have given him a very salutory lesson. He is undergoing a detox programme and when released would gain employment and get himself back on the straight and narrow."
Sheriff Lamont told Topping it was a serious offence to be concerned in the supply and distribution of a Class A drug, but he was taking into account the circumstances of Topping's role in events and was prepared to sentence on that basis.
He told Topping he accepted while was aware of the presence of heroin he did not know the quantities, although he was an important cog in the supply chain.
Topping was jailed for 18 months, reduced from 24 months because of his guilty plea, and backdated to May 17 when he was remanded.
