Bret Ewen was caught with high purity cocaine worth more than £120,000. During a raid of his home police recovered almost a kilo of cocaine. They also found a press in a shed in the rear garden of the property. It was thought that Ewen may have been adulterating the drug to a lower level of purity.

Ewen, a satellite engineer, admitted to being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug. In sentencing him Judge Lord Young stated: “I accept that your previous convictions are less serious and non-analogous however given the weight and purity of the drugs a significant custodial sentence is inevitable.”

Lord Young imposed a custodial sentence of 40 months. Ewen broke down in tears as he was led to the cells by security staff. The advocate depute, Christopher MacIntosh told the court that Ewen had previous convictions; however, they were non-analogous offences. 

Mr MacIntosh told the court that police had recovered a bag containing four packages of cocaine. Each package had about a quarter of a kilo. Police drug experts determined that as the cocaine was between 56 and 70 per cent it was considered to be of a high purity. 

Defending, David Moggach stated: “He said he was spoken into allowing his house to be used to store drugs in the full knowledge it was drugs for onward supply. I do not know the friendship he sought from this person as there was no financial gain. Once he was apprehended, he had time to think about this and he has remorse and regret at committing the offence.”