Admin worker jailed for dealing cocaine after running up gambling debts

• A pensions administrator has been jailed after pleading guilty to being concerned in supply of cocaine

• Gareth Morris turned to drug dealing after running up gambling debts

Gareth Morris made £1000 clear profit after selling cocaine for a fortnight before police raided his flat.

A judge told Morris, 34, that it was clear that he was involved in commercial dealing in the Class A drug.

Lord Uist pointed out at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had a good job at the time.

The judge noted that he had previous convictions for drug trafficking offences which had resulted in community service being imposed on him.

Lord Uist said: “That sentence obviously did not have the desired effect as you returned to drug dealing.”

The judge told Morris that he would have faced a five-year jail term, but for his guilty plea.

The court heard that on December 14 last year police received information that drugs were at Morris’ rented flat at Meggetland View, in Edinburgh.

They forced entry armed with a search warrant where they found more than £4000 in cash, along with eight mobile phones, mixing equipment, cocaine worth about £400 on the streets and 2.4 kilos of benzocaine used to cut the drug.

Morris was not home at the time but turned up later and told waiting officers: “I take it you’re here for me.”

He earlier pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug between December 1 and 14 last year.

Defence counsel Drew Mckenzie said Morris had broken up with a long-term girlfriend and found the circumstances of the separation difficult to cope with.

He said: “He started gambling even more than he had in the past.”

Mr Mckenzie said Morris became involved with “an illegal poker den” and got into debt.

“He thought the way out was to gamble more but as often happens that backfired,” he said.

“He found himself in the situation that the gambling was escalating and the debt was escalating,” he said.

Threats of violence were made over money he was lent.

“Another acquaintance suggested a way out of the difficulties was to sell cocaine to friends and friends and friends,” said the defence counsel.

Mr Mckenzie said some of the money found at the flat was from legitimate sources to repay gambling debts.