A MAN who stored more than £250,000 of drugs at a flat because he was worried about his family’s finances has been jailed.

Francis McGinley,32, accepted £1,000 from an “associate” in return for keeping “substantial quantities” of heroin and cocaine at his then home in Scotstoun reports our sister title the Clydebank Post. 

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that police raided the Earl Street property on October 1, 2019 and discovered the drugs, which had an estimated street value of a quarter of a million pounds. McGinley was arrested and taken into custody. 

Defence advocate Tony Lenehan urged judge Lord Stuart not to send his client to jail and asked him to impose a non-custodial term. He said the imposition of jail time would affect his client’s ability to care for his children.

He also said his client had money worries. 

Mr Lenehan added: “He had the need for income, not the acquisition of luxurious items. There is no outstanding proceeds of crime application in this case. 

“He turned to drug dealing to provide necessities, he had to provide for his children.”

McGinley pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine at a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow last month. Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports on McGinley’s background. 

At the earlier hearing, prosecutor Bill McVicar told how a haul of heroin was found in one cupboard, with cocaine in another.

Mr McVicar said: "Francis McGinley entered while the search was being undertaken."

DNA and fingerprint evidence linked McGinley, now of the Yoker area, to the illegal consignments.

The court heard how the heroin and cocaine had a potential value "in excess of £250,000".

On Thursday, Lord Stuart told McGinley that he’d no other option but to send him to prison. 

He added: “These are substantial quantities of drugs. The offences to which you have pleaded guilty merit a custodial sentence.

"I am not convinced by the observations that you became involved in the supply of these substances for the need of providing for your family. 

“There are other families who are facing financial difficulty who do not become involved in the supply of class A drugs. 

“I am also being asked to spare your children when what you did would not have spared other children. The consequences for your children must be your own responsibility.”

McGinley was jailed for five and a half years.