A student has pleaded guilty to selling cannabis after police raided her flat

Angelene Few, 20, was caught following a tip-off about her peddling drugs around Greenock from her red-coloured Ford Ka.

Officers found eight zip lock bags of the drug in the vehicle's glove box and a subsequent search of Few's Lyle Street home revealed more cannabis, scales and £2,520 in cash.

A total of £710 in mixed notes was stuffed between the pages of her diary, which was complete with the names of customers and the amounts of the drug she sold to them.

Prosecutor David Glancy told Greenock Sheriff Court: "Police were aware of confidential information regarding Angelene Few supplying persons with herbal cannabis from a red Ford Ka.

"Officers saw the vehicle stopped in West Blackhall Street and this is what started the engagement with her."

Fiscal depute Mr Glancy said: "The pink book contained names and references to figures, including phrases such as 'half-ounce'.

"It was clearly some sort of log or tick list.

"She admitted to the police that she lived alone and she was the only person with access to the vehicle."

Few — who was detained by police on the morning of February 21 — initially claimed in court that she had 'been taken advantage of by others higher up the supply chain'.

But she abandoned that position when it became clear that the handwriting in the diary was hers.

Her lawyer, Haroun Malik, said: "She has changed her position and now accepts full responsibility for the offence.

"Her family are very disappointed in her.

"She has displayed high levels of remorse and she has a clear understanding of her offending."

Mr Malik added that first offender Few's chosen career path to become a nurse has 'gone up in flames' as a result of her crime.

But despite this personal disaster, the court was told that West College Scotland has allowed her to continue with her coursework.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton said: "First offender or not, this was clearly an operation designed to make money.

"She's only taken responsibility now because she's been forced to face up to it.

"Before she was happy to string me along and say it wasn't down to her."

The lawman added: "There has to be a message sent out here, and I don't want that message to be that students can earn extra money by dealing drugs.

"Many students would love to have £2,500."

However, Sheriff Hamilton — who issued a forfeiture order for the money seized during the police raid — decided not to jail Few.

He told her: "The fact that you come from a good family and have intelligence doesn't make you any different from others who engage in this sort of activity.

"I have to take into account your age and the fact that the college is standing by you.

"I will give you the opportunity of a non-custodial sentence, but this is a one-off chance."

Few has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and will be electronically tagged to remain within her home between 7pm and 7am each day for 12 months.

The sheriff warned her: "If you breach either of these orders you are back to square one and you will go to jail.

"Let this be the last we see of you here."