Dopey drug dealing Edinburgh pensioner caught trying to bury heroin ‘for £100’

A dopey drug dealing pensioner who had been hired to bury a haul of heroin at an Edinburgh beauty spot is facing a prison sentence.
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George Sneddon picked up the consignment of the Class A drug in the west of the city before heading towards Blackford Hill to hide the bags of brown powder.

But while on route the 67-year-old was pulled over by police who subsequently discovered the drugs hidden in a jar in the vehicle’s footwell.

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The OAP, of Whitson Road, Edinburgh, then claimed to officers he was “in fear of his life” if he spoke to them but eventually admitted his involvement in the drug deal.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Pic: Ian GeorgesonEdinburgh Sheriff Court. Pic: Ian Georgeson
Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Pic: Ian Georgeson

Sneddon pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin to others at Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh, on May 22 last year when he appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Thursday.

Co-accused Paul White, from Pollok, Glasgow, walked free from the dock after the 29-year-old’s not guilty plea was accepted by the Crown.

Fiscal depute Sophie Hanlon said police officers “had cause to stop a vehicle at the Chesser area” of the capital at around 6.55pm on May 22 last year.

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Ms Hanlon said: “The accused Sneddon was cautioned at that time and [he] said ‘there is stuff in the front of the motor - someone gave it to me to deliver and I was getting a £100 to do it’.

“The police then seized a bag containing a jar with wraps of a brown substance within in the footwell of the vehicle.

“Sneddon was interviewed and at first gave no comment as he was in fear of his life but he then provided some information.

“He indicated he was delivering the bag with the jar and he was being paid to do so. He was unaware of the contents.

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“He had been instructed to take the bag to the Blackford area and bury it.”

The fiscal told the court the substance was subsequently analysed and was found to be diamorphine in £10 bags and was worth a total of £4750.

Defence lawyer Nigel Beaumont said his client had never been to prison before and he had been caught with a total of 61.79 grammes of the Class A drug.

Mr Beaumont added: “Mr Sneddon was led to understand this was cannabis and he thought it was cannabis.

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“His job was to meet a person at Stenhouse Cross and take the bag to the Blackford Hill area where he was to wait on further instructions.”

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC deferred sentence to next month for the preparation or reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment to be carried out.

Sneddon admitted to being concerned in the supply of diamorphine (heroin) to others at Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh, on May 22 last year.

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