High Court judge says Aberdeen is crack cocaine capital of Scotland

Drug capital: Judge speaks of crack problem in Aberdeen.

A High Court judge has described Aberdeen as the crack cocaine capital of Scotland.

Lord Bannatyne was speaking while sentencing two repeat drug offenders to a total of 14 years in prison for trafficking in the drug.

Jailing Devon Harvey for eight years and co-accused Mark Belli for six years, Lord Bannatyne said: "There is a significant problem in Aberdeen with the abuse of crack cocaine. Aberdeen of all the cities in Scotland seems to be the one blighted by this particular drug."

The judge told Harvey that he had "an appalling record of drug convictions".

Harvey, 50, faced a minimum sentence of seven years because of his drug offending record but the judge said: "I regard this matter as a very serious one. I believe in the whole circumstances the appropriate sentence is above the minimum level."

He became the target of a police surveillance operation and was linked to Belli and a further co-accused, his 22-year-old girlfriend Kelly Watt.

Police recovered crack cocaine, money and mobile telephones which contained text messages linked to the illegal trade, with communications such as "r u still on".

Individuals who had bought drugs from Harvey, known as “D”, were also traced, the court heard. Cocaine worth around £1000 along with digital scales were found at a flat in Aberdeen’s Bon Accord Street where he was living.

Harvey had denied being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug between May 1 and November 2, 2011 at places in the city including waste ground next to Cornhill Road, at Holburn Street, Ferryhill Primary School, Beechwood Court and Bon Accord Street but was unanimously found guilty by a jury.

Harvey and Belli were seen together in a car. Belli later got out of the vehicle and went to an area where it was suspected drugs were being hidden.

Belli, 36, admitted that he was concerned in the supply of cocaine on May 17, 2011 at waste ground adjacent to the city's Cornhill Road.

Advocate depute Martin Macari said when police detained him they noticed his hands were dirty and a search was carried out which found disturbed earth underneath a board. A knotted bag containing crack cocaine worth more than £7000 on the streets was recovered.

Belli's defence counsel, Ronnie Renucci, told the court: "His adult life has been blighted by the misuse of drugs."

He said Belli was prescribed the heroin substitute methadone at the time but had started to abuse cocaine. Watt had earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between May 24 and June 30, 2011.

Mr Macari said she was seen in the rear of a car which had stopped at the Asda petrol station, in Garthdee Road, and was detained. She was taken to police headquarters and searched but nothing was found.

She denied concealing anything internally, but after a further consultation with a lawyer revealed she was hiding an item inside her person and agreed to remove it. The package contained crack cocaine worth £3825 on the streets.

The prosecutor said that during the investigation it emerged that she had supplied individuals with £50 deals of the drug.

Lord Bannatyne deferred sentence on Watt for the preparation of a background report and she was remanded in custody.

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