A teenager who trembled when told he’d missed his bus stop later found his case full of drugs had been dumped on a pavement 50 miles away.
And Ryan Tormey turned up to collect the bag with its £6,000 worth of cannabis unaware that cops were waiting for him.
When Tormey got off the Ulster bus at Newton Stewart, all he could think about was his missing case with its stash which had been dropped at his planned destination of Dumfries.
The 18-year-old was unaware the case had been picked up by mistake by another passenger and then handed in to the tourism office.
There, it had been opened in a bid to identify the proper owner and the wrapped bags of dope were discovered.
While Tormey struggled to get back to Dumfries, police put a tongue-in-cheek post on social media inviting the owner of the “lost” case to claim it.
The sheriff court at Dumfries was told Tormey did turn up to collect it – unaware the drugs had been discovered under some clothing.
Tormey, of Kirkland Drive, Kelloholm, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis at the Whitesands in Dumfries last August.
Fiscal depute Jennifer McGill said Tormey had boarded the bus at Manchester and the case was put in the hold with other baggage.
She added: “The luggage was unloaded on the pavement at Dumfries for people to pick up items belonging to them and Tormey’s suitcase was handed in to the tourist office.”
As the bus continued its journey, it was some time later that Tormey asked the driver when they were due in Dumfries … only to learn they had already past it.
The fiscal added: “When told this, the driver said Tormey was shaking.”
A solicitor reserved her plea. Sheriff Brian Mohan deferred sentence for a month for reports.
