A GREENOCK heroin dealer convicted of his third drug trafficking offence has been jailed for more than three years at the town's sheriff court.
David Fowler was caught with his hand and a zip-lock bag of 'several small packages' stuffed down the toilet pan of a narcotics den flat during a surprise swoop by police.
The 36-year-old was also found to have a quantity of heroin in one of his trouser pockets after officers had arrested him in the pre-Christmas bust on Sinclair Street.
Procurator fiscal Emma Jeffrey told the court how police raided the flat as part of an intelligence-led operation on the morning of December 21 last year.
Miss Jeffrey said: "As police entered they observed the accused in the toilet crouched down at the pan with his right hand in the bowl.
"Four males were within the property, one of which was the accused."
The court heard that Fowler was found to have heroin with a potential street value of £320 in a pocket after being arrested and taken to Greenock police office.
An ongoing search at the flat yielded further amounts of a substance from the toilet but it could not be properly analysed because it was water damaged.
Within the living room was paper with brown powder residue, cellophane, cigarette papers and more zip-lock bags. 
Prosecutor Miss Jeffrey said: "The accused was interviewed the same day and admitted that the heroin belonged to him.
"When cautioned and charged he replied, 'Yes, I'm not concerned in the supply of heroin'."
However, Fowler pleaded guilty in court to the charge, while his not guilty pleas to intentionally trying to dispose of controlled drugs and cannabis possession were accepted by the Crown.
Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher told the court that Fowler's position was that he'd bought an ounce of heroin to be split between himself and the three other men who were in the flat.
Mr Gallagher said: "Mr Fowler would have been keeping a quarter of it for himself and selling the rest to the others to make a profit, for want of a better phrase, to maintain his habit.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton sentenced Fowler to 38 months imprisonment.
The sheriff told him: "You have two previous convictions for similar drug trafficking offences, and both of those were on indictment.
"If this case was called at the High Court your previous convictions would mean that the minimum sentence for this would have been seven years."
"Those who persist in dealing must expect lengthy sentences."