A MAN who tried to import more than 8,000 ecstasy tablets hidden in pet food has been jailed for more than 4 years.
Toby Bishop appeared via a video link from jail at Edinburgh High Court after pleading guilty last month to two charges of supplying drugs.
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The 21-year-old from Forfar, Angus, was on bail for an earlier drug offence when he agreed to receive a parcel containing ecstasy tablets at his parents’ home last year.
He claimed to be unaware of the amount or value of the drugs and claimed that the drug dealer who asked him to take the delivery didn’t appear to be a “large scale” supplier.
Despite his claims, Lord Braid told him that his “willingness” to take accept the drugs would have resulted in “significant harm” being caused.
The law chief said: “You were on bail for a drug offence, and although you were acquitted of that charge, you still committed further drug offences whilst on bail.
“Your position is that you were just accepting a parcel and you didn’t know the quantity of ecstasy.
“Nonetheless your willingness to receive this would have resulted in significant harm being caused.
“There is a high risk of you committing further offences.
“You were also supplying different drugs at the same time, namely cannabis and ecstasy.”
Bishop, who started using cannabis when he was 13, was sentenced to four years and two months reduced from five years and nine months due to him pleading guilty.
Cops from the Nation Crime Agency raided his home last August after the packages were intercepted by the UK Border Force at a depot in Coventry.
Bishop’s parents were also arrested and charged in connection with the offence but charges were dropped following their son’s guilty plea.
At the time of the raid on their home, his father was a forensic officer for the Scottish Police Authority working in Dundee.
We told last year how Robert Bishop, 59, was suspended from his job following his arrest.
When officers raided his home 8,443 tablets with a street value of £84,430 were recovered along with £11,250 worth of cannabis.
Messages found on the Telegram messaging app on his phone showed Bishop was advertising drugs for sale and had a set price list for things.
During the raid at the family home in Glenogil near Forfar, Angus Bishop had to be cuffed by officers after he started acting erratically.
After officers found a small quantity of cannabis in his room he told them there was “more in the garage, I’ve been growing it.”
Officers then found a quantity of cannabis plants with a potential value of £11,250.
Yesterday Bishop’s defence Solicitor Advocate, Kris Gilmartin, told the court that his client was “naive” and he didn’t realise the “scale” of the operation.
He said: “The report makes it clear that my client has abused cannabis from a young age.
“He then moved on to harder drugs including ecstasy and LSD.
“He mainly used cannabis and researched to grow his own but he grew more than he expected.
“Mr Bishop then used the proceeds from this to fund his own drug use.
“When he agreed to take the parcel he knew it was ecstasy but he didn’t know the amount or the value. He was paid £100 for agreeing to this.
“I can’t go as far as to say he was exploited but he was naive and didn’t realise the scale of the operation.”
His sentence was backdated to July 11, 202,3 when he was remanded in custody.