Cocaine is found in house raid

Apr 16 2009 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON man was caught dealing in cocaine with a street value of almost £5000, a local court has been told.

Police officers went to Paul Kirkwood’s Strathaven Road home on August 29 last year and found a number of bags of white powder totalling 136 grammes.

It later tested positive for cocaine and its street value was estimated at £4920.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 26-year-old Kirkwood admitted a charge of being concerned in the supply of the class-A drug between June 6 and August 29 at his Strathaven Road address.

Fiscal depute Barry Dunn told the sheriff court that officers had gone to Kirkwood’s home at 2.30pm on August 29 with a search warrant which they had obtained the day before.

The accused was at home when the police officers arrived and they carried out a search of the property and found the bags of white powder.

Officers then took Kirkwood to a police station where he admitted being involved in the supply of cocaine.

Mr Dunn told the sheriff court that Kirkwood had told officers he had been involved in dealing for a number of months.

Customers, added the fiscal depute, would contact Kirkwood by mobile phone and he would then distribute the drug to them at various locations.

Mr Dunn also pointed out that when the accused appeared for sentence the Crown proposed putting forward a motion for the forfeiture of £270 in cash which was also found in Kirkwood’s home that day during the search by police

The accused’s agent, Nicholas Scullion snr, pointed out to Sheriff John Stewart that Kirkwood was in full-time employment.

He added that his client had pleaded guilty at an accelerated diet and there had never been a question of him pleading not guilty to the charge.

Sheriff Stewart deferred sentence on Kirkwood until May 7 for a social enquiry report and community service assessment and continued bail meantime.