Farmyard drug dealing duo jailed

Two men involved in a £100,000 heroin deal on a farm near Dumfries have been jailed for a total of 10 years.

John Petrie, 41, and Angus Douglas, 62, were arrested after a police raid at Drumbreg Farm in Collin in September.

Petrie had travelled from Glasgow to deliver the drugs to convicted dealer Douglas, before they were caught.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Douglas was jailed for six years and Petrie for four years. They both admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin.

Petrie, of Fairbairn Path, Bridgeton, Glasgow, had been spotted by police counting £500 while sitting in his Toyota car at the Dumfriesshire farm on 13 September.

Officers believed a drugs transaction had occurred and then discovered a quantity of heroin in Douglas's caravan, situated at the site.

Former sheep dealer Douglas denied any involvement, while Petrie claimed he had been paid to deliver a package but did not know what the drugs were.

Douglas had been jailed for six years in 2004 for dealing heroin at a property in Stakeford Avenue, Dumfries.

However, that term was reduced to five years on appeal and he was out on licence at the time of this offence.

'Low ebb'

His lawyer Bill McVicar said he expressed remorse for what he had done.

Petrie's defence counsel told the court the father-of-three had been at a "low ebb" at the time after getting into substantial debt.

Dale Hughes added: "He thought that this would help with his debts.

"He was paid £500 to deliver the package to Dumfries.

"This was a one-off incident and he was not the subject at the time of any direct surveillance."

Mr Hughes also expressed surprise that social workers had classed Petrie at "high risk" of re-offending while known dealer Douglas was deemed "medium risk".

Judge Lord Bannatyne reduced Petrie's sentence from six years and Douglas's term from nine years due to their guilty pleas.

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