Drug-dealing solicitor sentenced

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An Edinburgh lawyer who supplied drugs to a man who later died of a suspected overdose has been sentenced to carry out 150 hours of community service.

Grant O'Connor, 37, gave cocaine to four men at the offices of Allan McDougall and Co, Dalkeith, in January.

David Norris, 25, died in a friend's home later after falling unconscious.

However, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the small amount of the drug supplied by O'Conner had not caused Mr Norris' death.

First offender O'Connor, from Edinburgh, had earlier admitted supplying Mr Norris and three other men with cocaine in his office on 17 January.

He will have to live with the guilt for years Duncan HughesSolicitor advocate

Fiscal depute Jane Spark told Sheriff Roderick MacLeod, that Mr Norris, a scaffolder, and three friends had spent the evening drinking in Lasswade. Mr Norris and one of the others had also taken some cocaine.

The men then went to Dalkeith, where they met O'Connor and his girlfriend in a pub.

At closing time, O'Connor invited Mr Norris and his friends back to his office in Dalkeith's High Street.

They continued drinking there and Mr Norris produced a bag of cocaine.

Lines of the drug were set up on a desk and snorted by the men, although not by O'Connor's girlfriend.

O'Connor also produced a small bag of cocaine, which was snorted by the men.

A short time later Mr Norris appeared to lose consciousness. He was taken back to the home of one of his friends, where he died.

Partnership terminated

Ms Spark said investigations into Mr Norris' death revealed a high level of alcohol, cocaine and GHB - and that it was this combination which had caused his death.

She added: "Given that the deceased had consumed a quantity of his own cocaine, along with alcohol and GHB, that evening it is accepted by the Crown that the cocaine supplied by the accused did not cause his death."

Solicitor advocate Duncan Hughes, representing O'Connor, said this acceptance that his client was not responsible for the death had given him some comfort.

"He will have to live with the guilt for years," said Mr Hughes.

He said O'Connor had worked his way up through the firm to end up as a partner, but that partnership had been terminated after the incident.

Mr Hughes said it was not clear if O'Connor would be able to continue as a solicitor.

He added that his client's relationship with his partner had ended and his reputation in the local area had been tarnished. He also had debts of £30,000 and no income, and his mental health had deteriorated significantly.