An EAST Lothian dad who turned to selling drugs during the Covid-19 lockdown has been jailed for 16 months.

Jamie Nicolson claimed he had found it difficult to gain employment following the restrictions and began dealing in cocaine and cannabis from his Musselburgh home.

Nicolson, of Eskview Road, was caught by police following an anonymous tip-off about his illegal dealings in 2021.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that the father-of-two and his partner were at their home when officers arrived with a search warrant at about 9.30am on December 30, 2021.

The court heard that, during the search of the property and a vehicle parked outside, officers discovered thousands of pounds of cash and drugs.

Fiscal depute Gillian Koren said that several packets of white powder, which later proved to be cocaine, were found in a white BMW, along with three mobile phones and bundles of bank notes.

The court was told that a total of 42.5 grammes of cocaine, said to be worth between £950 and £2,000, was found, along with 800 grammes of cannabis to the value of £3,150.

Police also uncovered cash totalling close to £25,000 during the search of the property.

The fiscal said that the mobile phones contained text messages to and from Nicolson which proved he was concerned in the supply of both the Class A and Class B drugs.

Ms Koren added that, after he was arrested, Nicolson confessed to a police officer that he was “only doing it due to Covid as he was struggling to find work”.

Nicolson, 33, pleaded guilty to two drug offences when he appeared at the city court earlier this year and sentence had been deferred for reports.

Nicolson returned to the dock last Friday, where Sheriff Donald Corke sentenced him to a 16-month prison term.

Nicolson pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis to others from his home in Musselburgh between September and December 2021.