Former soldier jailed for dealing heroin

Scott Turnbull (49) was caught with heroin, herbal cannabis and the medical painkiller morphine by police who raided his home in Limerigg acting on a tip-off that he was a pusher.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that messages and texts on his phone showed he was dealing cannabis and sometimes heroin, to which he was himself addicted.

Scales and bags were also found.

Prosecutor Sarah Lumsden said Turnbull had “become upset” when he was raided before dawn on December 16, 2015.

He told officers: “I’m sorry.”

Turnbull, of Lochside Road, Limerigg, near Slammanan, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and cannabis and illegally possessing morphine.

His solicitor Billy Hendry said Turnbull had been in the Army and had afterwards become a lorry driver.

He said: “During his time in the Army he was using cannabis, and that led onto heroin addiction.

“He took steps to deal with that, but following the death of his father and an injury at work which left him in a great deal of pain he continued with cannabis use and then went back onto heroin.

“He then got into trouble with people who were selling him heroin.”

Mr Hendry added: “He is petrified at the prospect of prison.”

After reading background reports, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson told Hendry that no sentence other than a custodial one was appropriate.

He said: “You have pled guilty to a serious offence, and the courts have repeatedly made clear that those who deal drugs risk a severe penalty.”

Bearded Turnbull, who had no previous drug convictions, looked shaken as he was handcuffed to a security guard and led below.