Man Frames Brother With T In The Park Drugs Possession

An innocent man was ordered to go to court to face trial on a drugs charge - after being framed by his own brother.

Duncan Gartshore was told he would have to face a trial after being accused of being caught with cocaine at T in the Park.

But he told police that he must have been the victim of mistaken identity as he had not been at the music festival.

He told officers that his brother had been at the festival, and when officers studied a photograph of Keith Gartshore the deception was rumbled.

Yesterday (THURS) at Perth Sheriff Court, it was Keith Gartshore who appeared in the dock to admit attempting to defeat the ends of justice on 12 July last year.

Gartshore, 35 admitted that when police asked him for his details at the festival he gave them the name and date-of-birth of his older brother Duncan, 38.

Fiscal depute Stuart Richardson said: "He was attending T in the Park last year and this happened on the way in. He was in a vehicle which was stopped for a search by police.

"He gave details, but unfortunately did not give his own details, but instead gave those of his brother. Certain items were found and in due course a complaint was raised against his brother.

"Dates for a pleading diet were sent out to him. He said it couldn't be him because he wasn't at T in the Park and that he suspected his brother was responsible.

"Police viewed photographs of the accused and realised he was the true person, so proceedings were raised against him."

Ironically, the cocaine possession charge he faced was dropped by the Crown yesterday.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher deferred sentence for reports until 2 September.