A man involved in trafficking cocaine worth £2.4million walked free from court today.
Graham Curran, 35, was clocked handing over the illegal haul to an associate in Paisley, Renfrewshire on August 18 2020.
The drugs - which had a purity of up to 54% - had been wrapped and stashed inside bags.
Curran pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine as he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.
The offence was aggravated by a connection with organised crime.
But Curran was shown mercy by judge Lady Scott who ordered him to do 225 hours of unpaid work as well as two years supervision.
She said: “The factors were this related to a single delivery and you do not have a criminal lifestyle.
“You recognise the dangers and the effects this has on the community.
“You have four non analogous previous convictions over 15 years and never served a period in custody.
“You have a stable life with steady employment and four young children.
“I’m satisfied that it’s best for your future without reoffending.”
An earlier hearing was told how police were initially keeping tabs on a man called Allan Ferguson during a large scale drugs probe.
They later clocked him parking his Ford Transit van in Foxbar Crescent, Paisley, where Curren then pulled up in a Volkswagen Golf.
Prosecutor Michael Macintosh said: "Curran exited the vehicle and removed a large weighted orange shopping bag and a polythene bag which he then handed to Ferguson."
Curran then drove off before police initially stopped Ferguson.
A total of 20kg of cocaine - potential value of £2m-£2.4m - was seized including during a search of Ferguson's home in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.
Officers also took from him £2,950 in cash, drug equipment and other items.
The court heard Ferguson has since been jailed for four years after he pled guilty to cocaine supply and possession of a stun gun at a hearing last September.
Curran meantime was arrested in November 2020 while in his car in Paisley.
He made no comment to the accusations at the time.
Tony Graham, defending, said Curran, of Glasgow's Easterhouse, had a lesser involvement than Ferguson.
The QC added: "He properly understands he has to pay the penalty for what he did, his involvement and punishment for the crime he committed for which he took a risk.”
