A GALASHIELS man who was caught with almost £5,000 worth of heroin has been jailed for almost 10 months at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Samuel Wightman, who is 51, admitted possession of the class A drug with intent to supply.

The court heard how police got information about heroin being in Galashiels and went to an insecure caravan in the Langlee Road area of the town in June last year.

Discovered in a light fitting was 49 grammes of heroin with a street value of £4,900.

The owner of the caravan - who has since died - denied any knowledge of the drugs and it emerged Wightman used the vehicle for storing tools.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme accepted it was a large quantity of drugs but insisted it was only a technical breach of the supply charge.

He insisted Wightman had entered into a mutual arrangement with a friend - not the caravan owner - to buy the drugs in bulk to supply each other, saying it made "financial sense" as they both smoked heroin.

Mr Hulme pointed out that his client did not have any drug-related previous convictions.

Wightman of Glendinning Terrace, had his jail sentence reduced from 12 months to 293 days due to his guilty plea.