A PRESTONPANS man has avoided a jail sentence after admitting supplying a Class A drug on four occasions.

Christopher Yorkston, of Bankton Terrace, supplied quantities of methadone to others at two streets in the town.

Yorkston pleaded guilty to the 2018 offences when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in February and was back in the dock for sentencing last Thursday.

Solicitor Mary Moultrie said that her client had secured full-time employment and had not committed any offences since 2018.

Ms Moultrie described the drug supply offences amounting to £60 as “very unfortunate incidents”.

Sheriff Nigel Ross acknowledged the “low amount involved” and, due to Yorkston’s previous criminal record, he was “sailing very close to the wind”.

But the sheriff decided not to impose custody and ordered Yorkston to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community as punishment.

Yorkston admitted supplying methadone to others on four occasions at Bankton Terrace and Middleshot Square, Prestonpans, between August 9 and November 18, 2018.