AN IMPRISONED Dunfermline drug dealer who kept heroin in a hedge has been handed another jail term after warders found a homemade shank in his cell.

Disabled David Docherty, 50, who is confined to a wheelchair in top security Glenochil Prison, Clackmannanshire, kept the weapon, made from a "long screw" with a paper towel wrapped round it for a handle "for protection", a court was told today (Monday).

Prosecutor Gail Russell said the weapon was found on a shelf by his bed by warders during a routine search of Docherty's cell on January 24, 2019.

Docherty had been at the prison since being transferred there from Barlinnie soon after he was jailed for six years at the High Court in Glasgow in May 2018 for supplying heroin.

A neighbour had clocked him hiding something near his Dunfermline home and went to check. Police were called and a parcel with Docherty's DNA on it containing the Class A drug worth £9,000 was recovered from the hedgerow.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court by video link from Glenochil Prison, Docherty, of Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to having the screw adapted for use as a weapon at the jail.

Kelly Howe, defending, said Docherty did not dispute the circumstances.

She said: "He tells me it was a not particularly lengthy screw, normally used to hold up shelves and various items within the prison."

Miss Howe said Docherty had suffered physical ill-health.

She said: "Most recently, he has lost the majority of one of his feet and that's put him in a position where he's now wheelchair-bound.

"It's going to be a long road to recovery."

Imposing a six-month prison sentence to run consecutive to Docherty's present term, Sheriff Charles Macnair QC said Docherty had a sheriff and jury court conviction for an assault involving serious violence dating from 2006 and knife offence dating from 2016.

He said: "The possession of weapons in custody is a matter of very deep concern.

"It is a very serious offence bearing in mind the risk of causing harm to other prisoners.

"In my view, only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

Docherty showed no emotion as the sentence was pronounced.