A Jedburgh man was locked up for seven months after more than £700 worth of cocaine was found at his home.
Thirty-year-old Christopher Manwell appeared on indictment and admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug in the town’s Bountrees on May 19 last year.
Depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley told how police raided the property on a Saturday morning.
She went on: “He was present, along with two others, and at 10am all three were detained in the house. They were shown the warrant and asked if there was anything in the house.”
Manwell replied: “It’s in the bedroom.”
Ms Bradley said: “Officers went into the bedroom where, in a small pile of clothing, they found a plastic bag protruding from the clothing. It contained 15 wraps of white powder.
“A search of the premises took place, but no more drugs were found. Other items were seized such as cash, mobile phones, scales and cling film.”
Ms Bradley said the potential value of the cocaine – which weighed 19.16gms – was £720.
Defending, Maureen Sinclair said her client found himself unemployed and fell into using cocaine.
She conceded Manwell had been spending £700 a month on the illegal drug, adding: “There is nothing to suggest that he actually supplied, but he accepts that the amount found would infer that he would have been concerned in supply.”
The lawyer went on: “He was thinking of selling a few wraps, but they had only been in his possession for 24 hours, having bought them the night before.
“He was using a large amount of cocaine, but this has put the fear of the gods into him and he has stopped.
“He is well aware of the severity of the offence and the possible consequences, and co-operated fully with police.”
Sheriff Kevin Drummond told Manwell: “It is truly tragic to find an otherwise decent member of the community plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
“Cocaine is in the same category as heroin and other class A drugs, and the quantity and the circumstances in which these were found leaves it open to inference of supply, and you have accepted that intent to supply.”