A man who admitted dealing in ecstasy from a Stirling address this week escaped a jail term.
Nathan Foxton had pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing the class-A drug with intent to supply to another or others at a house in Meiklejohn Street on April 30, 2020.
A charge of possessing cannabis there on the same date had been accepted by the Crown.
Not guilty pleas to these two charges tendered by co-accused – 36-year-old Lauren Hodgson, of Meiklejohn Street, Stirling – had been accepted by the Crown.
Thirty-three-year-old Foxton, of Sauchie, had been on bail on two separate matters at the time of the ecstasy offence.
At Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Sheriff Derek Hamilton pointed out that Foxton had admitted a charge of intent to supply a class-A drug to another or others, but a report prepared for the court stated that the drug had been for his personal use.
Foxton’s lawyer told the court that her client’s position was it had been for his own personal consumption.
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Foxton had accepted possession of the drugs and the lawyer suggested that an associate within the community had been involved.
The fiscal depute told the court that the plea had been agreed on the basis of “general supply”.
The defence lawyer pointed out that Foxton is clear of drugs and was continuing to engage with mental health services.
He was also now in full-time employment.
Sheriff Hamilton told Foxton that it was “with some hesitation” that he was not going to impose a custodial sentence, but noted that he was addressing drug issues,
He sentenced him to a restriction of liberty order (tag) confining him to his home for 12 months between the hours of 7pm to 5am as an alternative to custody.
Foxton was also fined a total of £1175, payable at a rate of £100 per week.
