CAR DEALER JAILED

Dec 7 2006 By Our Court Reporter, Rutherglen Reformer

A CROOKED Cambuslang BMW car dealer who offered a stripogram cop cash to hack into the police computer was jailed for 45 months last Thursday.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that 30-year-old Bryan Heron, of 7 Bressay Grove, wanted to find out what information the police had on him and his associates.

And over lunch in an Italian restaurant in Glasgow he told probationary constable Barry Adams, 24, he would be paid generously for any information he provided.

The court was told that at the time Heron was under surveillance by Strathclyde Police who suspected he was involved in supplying drugs.

Authorisation was obtained to place a bug in Heron's BMW and record conversations.

Paul Kearney, prosecuting, said: "During the lunch Heron told Adams he wanted to discover what information the police held in relation to him.

"He then gave Adams a piece of paper with his name and date of birth on it.

"He also told Adams he would be looking for similar checks to be carried out in relation to a number of his associates and again Adams would be paid for information in relation to them.

"Twelve days later Adams flat at Lancefield Quay in Glasgow was searched and a piece of paper containing Heron's name and date of birth was recovered. There is no evidence that at any time Adams made any attempt to carry out these inquiries on Heron's behalf."

Adams was thrown out of the police force and jailed for 16 months at Glasgow Sheriff Court after he was convicted of being a heroin courier. It emerged that he wore his police uniform while working as a part-time stripper.

He was originally charged with misuse of his uniform and equipment, but the charges were later dropped.

Last week in court, Heron admitted corruptly offering a serving police officer Barry Adams a sum of money as a bribe for obtaining data from police records and computer databases at La Fiorentina in Paisley Road West, Glasgow, on October 14, 2004.

He also pleaded guilty to supplying or offering to supply cocaine to an unidentified person in Birch Crescent, Glasgow, on July 16, 2004.

Heron also admitted transferring £84,491 of criminal property in Beith Street, Glasgow, on October 29, 2004.

Paul McBride QC, defending, said: "Mr Heron was aware he was being followed. He knew a police officer Barry Adams and asked him if he could find out if he was being followed.

“There was no attempt by Mr Adams to follow out these inquries."

Mr McBride added, referring to the cash seized, that his client sold BMWs and had been evading paying tax.

He went on: "He is now paying the full amount over to the authorities. There has been no gain to him and his business dealings over the last seven year are now subject to the closest scrutiny."

Mr McBride added that the drugs charge related to an overheard conversation after Heron was stopped in the street by a man who asked him if he could get cocaine for him.

Heron was jailed by Lady Dorrian who told him: "These are serious charges."