Trial over £5 of drugs abandoned after a year and five court sessions

Perth Sheriff Court: Ms Duthie said she was 'delighted' that the case had been dropped.© STV

A year-long legal case over a quantity of drugs worth less than £5 has been dropped after two police officers failed to turn up at court.

Sheriff Fiona Tait threw the case out after it emerged that the officers had not been given citations and could not be found despite "frantic" attempts to track them down on Monday.

It was the fifth time the case had called at Perth Sheriff Court in a process costing thousands of pounds which has involved three sheriffs, two solicitors, several police officers and dozens of other court staff.

Lindsay Duthie, 29, had allegedly been caught with powdered ecstasy worth just £4 at T in The Park 2011.

Ms Duthie was arrested at the music festival in Balado after allegedly being caught with a small amount of a white powdered substance in a wrap on 10 July 2011.

Forensic officers conducted tests on the substance and established that it was a compound of ecstasy. Its value was the same as a pint of lager at the festival.

Solicitor David Holmes, for Ms Duthie, said he had been expecting his client to go on trial on Monday as she continued to deny a charge of possessing ecstasy at the music festival.

He said: "This is in fact the second time the case has called for trial and my notes indicate it is the same motion as the witnesses were not cited for March 12 either.

"My client has no convictions. This is the fourth time she has attended court. On this occasion there seems to have been some slip-up. My submission is that enough is enough and the case should be dismissed."

Outside court, Ms Duthie said she was "delighted" that the case against her had been dropped.

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