A disgraced former soldier has been locked up for 18 months for his involvement in a Paisley cannabis factory.
Darren Chalmers, 27, rented a room and cultivated 48 plants in the hash farm, which was operated from an office block above Pizza Hut, in Glasgow Road, in January 2018.
The maximum street value of the plants Chalmers - who once guarded the Queen at Balmoral - grew was estimated to be worth around £28,000.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Chalmers, who served in Afghanistan and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, was told by judge Lord Arthurson: “You have served your country and your former commanding officer described you as having an exemplary military service.”
Solicitor advocate Kate Phillips said: “He joined the Royal Regiment of Scotland at 16 and in 2013 was posted to Camp Basra in Afghanistan.
“He lost three colleagues when an army car blew up.
“After their deaths, he had to drive the same road on a daily basis.
“He was a soldier who was earmarked for promotion and future advancement in the army.
“In summer 2016, he was deployed to Balmoral guarding the Queen.
“At this time, he had difficulty sleeping, felt guilt, had suicidal thoughts and struggled to get out of bed.
“He left his duties at Balmoral and travelled to barracks at Edinburgh, where he was diagnosed with post traumatic distress disorder.
MORE OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS
“He was discharged on medical grounds in November 2017.”
Ms Phillips said he was offered the chance to make some money by renting a room in the cannabis factory.
She told the court Chalmers suffers from flashbacks and anxiety, and is remorseful.
She added: “He has not only let himself down, but he has let his family down.
“He found the prospect of court proceedings overwhelming and fled to Spain.”
The court heard that the sophisticated cannabis factory was spread over three floors and 13 different rooms.
Police seized £430,800 worth of plants when they raided it.
Four men were jailed for a total of 18 years in September last year after admitting being involved.
Chalmers, from Paisley, should have joined them in the dock, but a warrant was issued after he failed to show.
He was eventually arrested in Spain and brought back to the UK.
He pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, as well as his earlier failure to appear at court.
