An ex-soldier who survived a high-profile helicopter crash has been jailed for six years after police seized a £1m heroin haul.
Gary Cowan, 32, was caught driving again to Scotland on the M74 close to Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire in June 2020.
He was in a van belonging to storage boss John Craig, 31, who was jailed for eight years after he helped organise the drug trafficking.
Each have been as we speak sentenced on the Excessive Court docket in Glasgow.
That they had been convicted in April of caring within the provide of heroin. Each had successfully blamed one another.
Cowan's lawyer instructed the court docket the ex-Royal Regiment of Scotland soldier continues to undergo the "trauma" of an Military helicopter accident in Catterick Garrison, Yorkshire in 2007 by which a detailed buddy was killed.
Cowan, of Paisley, Renfrewshire, turned to crime through the first pandemic lockdown in June 2020.
Jurors heard how the eight kilogramme drug haul - a few of which was of excessive purity - might fetch probably in "extra" of £1m.
Cowan claimed he had been requested to drive to Liverpool to gather automobile elements by Porsche-driving Craig, who runs a storage in Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
He mentioned he met a person in Merseyside and left him for 10 or quarter-hour with the van.
As he later returned north, as much as 10 officers and three police automobiles swooped on Cowan on the M74.
The dad-of-five was then arrested after the medicine haul was discovered hidden within the van.
His lawyer Billy Lavelle requested him: "What was your ideas sitting within the cell?"
Cowan: "I sat there many of the day pondering: 'What was taking place?'. I used to be in shock."
Craig, of Toryglen, Glasgow, additionally gave proof and insisted Cowan - who he knew from a automobile lovers membership - had requested for a mortgage of his works van.
He claimed to solely pay attention to any problem when Cowan had not returned with the automobile and his cellphone was then tracked to Motherwell police station in Lanarkshire.
His advocate George Gebbie put to him: "Do you know about any medicine?"
Craig: "No."
The court docket heard the heroin was discovered stashed in a padlocked compartment of the van.
However, Craig mentioned he had purchased the automobile from a joiner, who had constructed the disguise to cease his instruments being stolen.
Nonetheless, it emerged detectives had been preserving tabs on Craig.
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The court docket heard on Tuesday how Cowan had joined the military at 17 earlier than the helicopter tragedy ended his army profession and left him needing a number of operations in addition to counselling.
His solicitor-advocate Mr Lavelle mentioned: "He was concerned in a deadly accident.
"It was a fairly traumatic occasion and continues to have an effect on him. His companion is understandably involved about him."
The listening to was instructed each he and Craig preserve their innocence.
Sentencing, Lord Armstrong mentioned he was imposing completely different jail phrases as Craig was concerned within the "planning and logistics of the availability operation".
Craig was additionally hit with a three-year Critical Crime Prevention Order - usually described as a 'super-Asbo' - which can assist monitor him when he's freed.
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