Falkirk man planned to share cocaine with camping pals

John Buist, 46, was caught with the drugs close to his home, however, after police, acting on intelligence, stopped his car in Alexander Avenue, Falkirk.

Officers found 16 snap-bags containing cocaine with a street value of £730.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard yesterday it was accepted by the Crown that the drugs were for "social" rather commercial supply.Buist, of Cunningham Gardens, pleaded guilty to intent to supply on June 1, 2020.

Solicitor Simon Hutchison, defending, said: "Mr Buist was going with some friends on a camping trip and he had agreed to source the drugs, somebody else was buying the alcohol, and everybody chipped in."

After hearing that Buist now had "significant health issues", Sheriff Simon Collins QC fined him £470 and placed him under social work supervision for 18 months.

He said: "In many circumstances an offence of this kind would carry a prison sentence."

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