Dundee man who found friend's heroin in car jailed
A man who borrowed his friend's car and found half a kilo of heroin behind the seat has been given a 45 month jail sentence.
Charles Anderson, 53, from Dundee, stuck the package in the waistband of his trousers intending to return it to Rodney West, 54.
But he was arrested when police stopped in the car in Broughty Ferry in May.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, West was also jailed for three years after admitting supplying drugs.
The court was told Anderson has a record for drugs offences - including a seven year sentence in 2002.
But advocate depute Susanne Tanner, prosecuting, said there was no evidence that his involvement, this time, was any greater that he claimed.
Anderson had borrowed West's Peugeot 206 to pick up a lawn-mower.
Defence advocate Ronnie Renucci said Anderson knew what the package was likely to be because of his previous involvement with drugs.
"He was pretty angry. He was annoyed that West had put him in that position," said the lawyer.
But he agreed that what Anderson did made him technically guilty.
Ms Tanner said the heroin could have been worth up to £44,000 on the streets.
Police had been tipped off about drugs being transported in a car and stopped the vehicle outside Forthill Primary School, Broughty Ferry.
Officers went to West's home where they forced their way in and seized cocaine, more heroin and herbal cannabis. They also found scales contaminated with traces of heroin.
West, from Broughty Ferry, whose only previous conviction is for a motoring offence, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin, cocaine and cannabis on 13 May this year.
Anderson admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin.
Judge Lord Brailsford told both men he was applying as much leniency as he could but being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs was serious.