AN “EXTREMELY well paid” Mauchline man has dodged jail time after he was caught with bags of cocaine he planned to give to his friends.

Russell Boyd, 30, pleaded guilty to possession of the class A drug when he appeared in the dock at Ayr Sheriff Court last week.

Boyd, of Millershill Farm, was caught with the bags of cocaine in Ayr’s Macadam Place on January 12, 2021.

During last week’s hearing, the procurator fiscal depute told Sheriff Siobhan Connolly: “At 7.10pm on the date libelled, police witnesses in the area of the locus observed an Audi vehicle on the roadway with the engine running.

“Police witnesses noticed a single male driver. He was identified as Russell Boyd.

“He appeared nervous, with dilated pupils, and appeared under the influence.

“Police found 12 self-sealed bags containing white powder, each containing 3.3grams with a total value of £1,200.

“He was arrested, charged and made no reply.”

Tests later confirmed that the powder within the bags was cocaine.

Defence solicitor John Gillies told the court Boyd had “no idea how severe” the matter was, adding that his client had bought the drugs for £750 to then “give to friends”.

Mr Gillies said: “He is 30, single and in full time employment earning a substantial wage.

“Being 30 and extremely well-paid, unfortunately his group of friends indulged in taking cocaine.”

Sheriff Connolly said: “Mr Boyd, this is a very serious crime, treated very seriously, and the type of offence that could see a custodial sentence.

“I take into account that it is effectively your first offence and your background circumstances.”

Boyd agreed to be placed a community payback order which will see him supervised by a social worker for 18 months.

He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

In addition, a restriction of liberty order was imposed confining Boyd to his home address from 7pm until 7am every night for two months.