Father-of-fifteen caught in drugs bust while on bail for the same crime

A father-of-fifteen was captured in a drugs bust – while on bail for the same crime.

Clive Salmon, 56, was caught as he stayed at a bed and breakfast in Inverness in late February this year.

Prosecutor Jennifer Nicholson-White told the High Court in Glasgow: “On entering to execute search warrants, Salmon was traced crouching behind a table in the dining area.

“He was in possession of a set of keys for a small safe. He was the only guest in the property at the time.”

Officers went on to discover a haul of cocaine and heroin, a Nokia “burner” phone, more than £1,000 in his wallet and a list with a number of drug-related references.

Salmon had flouted a bail order, having been arrested during an earlier raid on November 5 last year.

Police had been tipped off that a man matching his description was holding a large quantity of narcotics on a train from Edinburgh to Inverness.

Officers got on board at Stirling railway station. They spoke to Salmon and questioned him about his luggage.

Salmon had earlier been spotted in possession of a large black suitcase, a rucksack and a small black bag.

Ms Nicholson-White said he denied having any drugs.

He said the large suitcase was not his; however, when asked to provide a code to unlock it, he provided it.

Ms Nicholson-White said: “The case was found to contain clothes, then searched item by item. Within a piece of clothing, a tightly wrapped blue block in a plastic bag was seized.

“It was found to contain compressed white powder.”

The cocaine had up to 82% purity.

The court heard the total value of drugs found in both raids was more than £100,000 – the main haul seized from the search on the train.

George Pollock, defending, said Salmon had been suffering from drug issues since his early 40s.

The solicitor advocate added: “He has no less than 15 children. He does not maintain contact with all of them, but has asked me to state that he is ashamed of his behaviour, what it brings to his family and the consequences of it.”

The court heard Salmon had received £500 to ferry the drugs found on the train and was to be “paid something” in connection with the other narcotics.

Lord Scott sentenced Salmon to a total of four years and one month after he pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.