A man caught in a car with £14,000-worth of drugs while a lamb munched on a bag of chips in the back seat has avoided jail.

John McNeil, 56, was a passenger in Lindsey Sangster’s Volkswagen Golf, which was stopped by police on the M74 near Glasgow on 22 April 2023.

Officers found bags containing heroin and cocaine hidden beneath the front passenger seat after a police dog searched the vehicle.

However, there was also a lamb called Pablo, named after Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, found in the vehicle.

When police asked where the animal had come from, an officer claimed McNeil said the driver, Sangster, was a ‘trainee shepherdess’.

However, Sgt Nick Twigg told the court there was little evidence to support that claim.

‘The lamb at the time was eating a bag of chips left on the back seat,’ he said.

Police later recovered £4,640 of cocaine and £10,050 of heroin from underneath the passenger seat.

The pair were found guilty in September of possessing heroin and diamorphine with intent to supply.

McNeil and Sangster claimed they had rescued Pablo after finding him in a ‘dangerous position’ in the middle of the road.

They said they had been travelling home to Ayrshire after a trip to Edinburgh when they came across the lamb.

McNeil, who said he had previously worked with his father, a retired agricultural contractor, told jurors Pablo appeared dehydrated and had not been fed for several hours.

He claimed they planned to return the lamb to its owner after noticing identification markings on its ears.

But the court heard Pablo belonged to North Lanrigg Farm in Motherwell, owned by farmer Kirsty Mair.

A charge of resetting the animal was later dropped by the Crown during the trial because there had been ‘no reported theft’ at the time.

Pablo was taken to a farm in Ayrshire, where he was kept for between 48 and 72 hours before eventually being returned to his owner.

Prosecutors said the quantity of cocaine and heroin recovered was excessive for personal use and indicated the drugs were intended for supply.

McNeil denied knowing anything about the drugs, as did Sangster. However, the court heard Sangster had been under the influence of drugs when she was driving and had pleaded guilty to separate offences.

She was disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

McNeil, of Fairlie in North Ayrshire, was sentenced after being found guilty, while Sangster, of Kilbirnie, failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

Sheriff Tony Kelly ordered McNeil to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and wear an electronic tag for six months.

After the lamb was returned, Mair said he was in good health and happy with ‘his new pet lamb pals’.