A dad-of-two has been jailed for dealing cocaine after his parents were wrongly arrested.
Graham Steele, 29, of Kilmein Avenue in Patna, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for being concerned in the supplying of the class A drug on August 6 last year.
Ayr Sheriff Court heard Steele, who brought a black holdall bag to court with him when he appeared for sentencing on Wednesday, handed himself in to the police after his parents were originally arrested for the crime.
His solicitor Mr Fitzpatrick said: “His parents were arrested. He surrendered himself to the police and gave them information, which was all on him and had nothing to do with his parents.
“The accused had been working during the health crisis and the opportunity of using this hut as storage arose and has led to his court appearance today.
“He makes no defence to minimise it and understands the gravity of the offence.
“There is a record before the court but nothing of a similar offence, with the most recent offence dating 2015.
“He’s a family man, in full time employment and lives at the address with his two children. He is the breadwinner.”
Mr Fitzpatrick suggested to sheriff Shirley Foran that there were a number of avenues in terms of sentencing Steele, including a community based disposal.
He said jail would have a “serious effect on him and consequential effects on his family” but added: “There’s no doubt this does cross the custody threshold.”
Sentencing Steele, sheriff Foran said a “grave offence was taken out” which caused “immense effect to others, your [Steele’s] parents.”
She added: “You do have a record of previous offending.
“An element of my task here is not just to punish. I’m taking into account all the mitigating factors, and for that reason I’m lowering the prison sentence.”
Steele was ordered to spend 12 months behind bars.
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