A VALE man who admitted being concerned in the supply of a class A drug has himself been put on a tough drug testing regime as a punishment.

John Mullen, 51, of Campbell Street in Bonhill, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing on Friday, June 28, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to being concerned in the supply of heroin at his home address between March 24 and August 24 last year.

Officers found £4000 of heroin stashed in his house, as well as scales and other drug paraphernalia.

Mullen’s solicitor, Judith Reid, told the court her client had been assessed as suitable for a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) - a programme which sees offenders undergo frequent unannounced blood tests to check for the presence of banned substances in their bodies, as well as being forced to come back to court every few weeks for their progress to be monitored.

Making Mullen the subject of a DTTO for two years, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told him: “You are well aware that the crime you chose to commit last year was prosecuted as an indictment – and that opens up the possibility of a lengthy prison sentenced, measured in years, rather than months.

“You may think a DTTO is bound to be preferable to going into prison, but it is not an easy option.

“If this order is not successful, it may not last for two years. If it is brought to an end, and revoked, I still have all sentencing options open to me - including the obvious one.”