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MoreQuiet 8d · day 9

Scottish man avoids jail after £14k drugs stop with chip-eating lamb in car

John McNeil was sentenced to unpaid work after a lamb named Pablo was found eating chips beside hidden heroin and cocaine on the M74.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago7 pieces15k likes & upvotes445 comments Google NewsNewswiresXHacker News

What to know

  • John McNeil avoided jail despite being convicted alongside Lindsey Sangster of possessing £14,000 of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.
  • The pair's claim that they stopped to rescue the lamb, named Pablo after Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, from the road did not prevent conviction, though a related theft charge was dropped.
  • Sheriff Tony Kelly imposed 300 hours of unpaid work and a six-month curfew tag rather than imprisonment, citing a low risk of McNeil reoffending.
  • Sangster, who separately pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, failed to appear for sentencing and is now wanted on a warrant.

“Officers were of the opinion that the circumstances of this case indicate the supply of cocaine and heroin due to the amount recovered being excessive for personal use.”

Julianna Keenan, Prosecutor · BBC ↗ · Nov 1

John McNeil Passenger and co-defendantLindsey Sangster Driver and co-defendantKirsty Mair Owner of North Lanrigg FarmSgt Nick Twigg Police officer who stopped the carTony Kelly SheriffBronwyn Moore Defence solicitor for McNeil

Scottish man avoids jail after £14k drugs stop with chip-eating lamb in car
x.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 5 pieces in two hours at Nov 2, 7 AM; 7 pieces over 9 days (5 articles · 2 posts) Nov 2, 7 AM — 5 pieces · 4 articles · 1 post — Google News 3, Newswires 1, X 1Nov 2, 9 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Nov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Nov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 1 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 7 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 1 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 7 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 1 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 7 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 1 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 1 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 7 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quiet 1
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9now · 5:43 AM ET
  1. 1

    Story spreads widely after BBC Scotland posts it online

    BBC Scotland News shared the article on X, where it drew more than 15,000 engagement signals and hundreds of comments as the unusual details of the case circulated.

    “No, the lamb at the time was eating a bag of chips left on the back seat. There were no bottles.”
    — Sgt Nick Twigg, Police officer who testified at trial · source
  2. background

    Sheriff sentences McNeil to unpaid work instead of jail — Sheriff Tony Kelly ordered McNeil to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and wear a tag with a curfew between 20:00 and 05:00, citing a low risk of reoffending; Sangster did not appear and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

  3. background

    Jury convicts McNeil and Sangster of drug supply — McNeil and Sangster were found guilty of possession of cocaine and diamorphine with intent to supply; a separate charge of resetting the lamb was dropped mid-trial as there was no reported theft.

  4. background

    Police stop car on M74 and find lamb with hidden drugs — Officers stopped Lindsey Sangster's Volkswagen Golf on the M74 in Glasgow and discovered a lamb, later named Pablo, eating chips in the back seat while a police dog found £4,640 of cocaine and £10,050 of heroin hidden under the front passenger seat.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets Man spared jail after police find £14k of drugs and stolen lamb eating chips in car

    first by The Independent, 8d ago · also STV News, BBC

    2 more headlines