Drug order 'an alternative to prison' for Thurso man caught with powder on nose

A Thurso man caught red-handed with a white powder which proved to be cocaine has avoided a jail term.

Richard Shepherd was instead made subject to a drug-treatment testing order at Wick Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

The commis chef previously admitted, on indictment, being in possession of the Class A drug with the the intention of supplying it to others – although it was claimed the drugs were intended to be shared "with one other only".

The 30-year-old had purchased a quantity of the cocaine online and was sharing it with his brother, Graham Shepherd (31), who was celebrating his birthday.

Officers who entered Graham Shepherd's house, on a separate matter, in Kennedy Terrace, Wick, on May 17, 2018, observed there was powder on Richard Shepherd's nose and on a coffee table.

Sheriff Andrew Berry previously commented that, while he appreciated the offence didn't constitute a commercial proposition, Shepherd had six previous convictions for drug-related offences which he said might lead him to conclude that "only a prison sentence was appropriate".

However, while the accused had earlier indicated he was not prepared to commit to a drug-treatment testing order, he had since changed his mind and had been confirmed as suitable.

Sheriff Berry made Shepherd, of Lythmore Road, Thurso, subject to a year-long order and warned him: "While it is not normally regarded as a custodial alternative to the order, it is, under the circumstances, an alternative in my mind.

"If you don't comply with the order without good reason, it will come back to the court as a breach and that could then still involve a period of imprisonment."

There will be a review of the order on July 28.

A plea of not guilty by Graham Shepherd to possession of cocaine with intent to supply was accepted, previously, by the fiscal.