AWOL soldier caught with £45,400 worth of cocaine

A SOLDIER who had gone AWOL was caught by police on a drugs run with £45,400 of cocaine, a court heard yesterday.

Garry Matheson, 22, of Inverness, had been absent without leave from the army for about three months when detectives received intelligence that a consignment of drugs was being driven north from Fort William.

A silver Volkswagen Polo car, in which Matheson was a passenger, was stopped at Drumnadrochit. Four packages of cocaine were found in the pocket of a jacket he was wearing.

He said he had been cold and had put on the jacket which was lying on the parcel shelf, but knew nothing about the drugs.

Others in the car revealed that, after drinking together in Inverness and then "driving about" for a time, Matheson had left the car alone to meet someone.

On his return, he received calls on his mobile phone in which he appeared to receive directions. He asked the driver to take him to Fort William, and gave him 50 for petrol costs. The car was stopped on the return journey.

Matheson will be sentenced next month.