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Man avoids jail over £14,000 drugs as stolen lamb is found in car
John McNeil, 56, avoided prison after being convicted of possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply, following a police stop on the M74 in Glasgow. The case also drew attention for the lamb, Pablo, found in the car eating chips; the court heard its owner had not given permission for it to be taken.
McNeil was a passenger in Lindsey Sangster’s Volkswagen Golf when police stopped it on 22 April 2023. A police dog found drugs beneath the front passenger seat, valued at £14,000; McNeil and Sangster denied knowing they were there and were found guilty in September. McNeil was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and wear an electronic tag for six months, while a warrant was issued for Sangster after she failed to attend sentencing. Pablo has been returned to farmer Kirsty Mair and is said to be well.
In short
- McNeil avoided jail for drug supply offences.
- He was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
- Lamb Pablo was returned to its owner.
Explained simply
Possessing drugs with intent to supply means having them with the aim of passing them on to others, rather than simply having them for personal use. In Scotland, courts consider the offence and the circumstances when deciding a sentence.
John McNeil was a passenger in a car driven by Lindsey Sangster when police stopped it on the M74. A police dog found heroin and cocaine under the passenger seat; both occupants denied knowing the drugs were there and were convicted.
The case also involved Pablo, a lamb whose owner, farmer Kirsty Mair, had not agreed to his being taken. He was found in the car and later returned to Mair, bringing an animal-theft issue alongside the drugs case.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Spared jail, man caught in car with £14k drugs… and a lamb called Pablo eating chips”.