Oil industry executive jailed for dealing cocaine
A former project manager in the oil industry has been jailed for 54 months for dealing cocaine.
Martin Wallace, 49, from Aberdeen was caught after a water leak from his flat dripped into the property below.
Police found two kilos of the drug, ranging in quality from one to 77%, with a maximum street value of £182,000.
Wallace admitted being involved in the supply of cocaine between 1 November and 9 December last year.
Lord Beckett told him: 'You are someone who has had a good record of responsible employment for most of your life.
"However, your premises were used for five weeks for a reasonably sophisticated drug operation and you were involved in the distribution.
"The cocaine was of a considerable value."
The High Court in Glasgow heard that the 75-year-old woman who lived in the flat below tried to contact Wallace without success.
She then phoned a plumber who confirmed the leak was coming from the flat above.
As a last resort the woman contacted police who forced entry to investigate.
'Fall from grace'
In an attic bedroom the officers found a rolled up £20 note, white powder and a press.
They obtained a warrant to search the flat and discovered a drivers' licence in the name of Martin Wallace, what appeared to be a tick list and, in a bread bin in the kitchen, a tub of white powder.
Further blocks of the Class A drug were found in the master bedroom.
Defence advocate David Moggach said: "This was a spectacular fall from grace. Money was short, but he accepts he shouldn't have done this.
Mr Moggach told the court that Wallace was a project manager in the oil industry until 2013 when he took time off to care for his sister.
The advocate added: "At this time he started taking cocaine because of stress. He purchased two flats in Aberdeen and hoped to make money renting them out to make a profit.
"One of the flats was let to tenants who were involved in drug dealing and he became involved in their enterprise for financial gain.
"It was a very foolish thing to do."