A DRUG dealer who discovered the body of murdered Duncan Banks has been jailed for supplying heroin.

David Docherty was snared in January 2016 after a neighbour spotted him hiding a stash of the substance near his home in Dunfermline.

It came just months after the 48-year-old found the dead body of Duncan at his home in Skye Road.

A judge heard today Docherty was badly affected and turned to drugs due to his apparent ordeal.

He has now been jailed for six years and three months after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Docherty was clocked hiding something at a hedge close to his home.

A neighbour went to check, suspicious it could be drugs.

Police were soon alerted and a package was found to contain heroin. Docherty's DNA was discovered on it.

The drugs had a potential value of around £9,000.

The court was told Docherty already had a string of drug convictions.

Geoffrey Forbes, defending, said Docherty had previously gone in to re-hab, but “each time had relapsed”.

The advocate went on: “There was a time he was doing reasonably well, but he regressed.

“His explanation was finding his friend Duncan Banks had been murdered. Docherty found the body.”

Mr Forbes said Docherty went on to give evidence in the trial of Steven Thomson, who was later cleared of killing Mr Banks.

The lawyer said: “He realises that he is on the last chance to sort himself out.”

Lord Armstrong told Docherty he had reduced the jail-term from seven years, due to the guilty plea.