A man found with heroin has avoided a jail term amid claims that he wished to turn his life around.

Paul Stuart Chalmers, 42, pled guilty to one charge under the Misuse of Drugs Act at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

The court heard that police recovered 2grams of heroin during a drug search warrant at Chalmers’ home in Kilbirnie’s Glenriddet Avenue on June 7.

Solicitor Alastair Gray said that his client had lost his job shortly before the offence but that he had been taking steps to rehabilitate himself.

He added: “He has a record which has one analogous matter from 1994 which is intent to supply, thereafter there are no other analogous matters. The last matter was in 2008.

“He’s been attending Café Solace in Kilbirnie. He’s now clean, he’s not taking heroin anymore.”

Sheriff Michael Hanlon said: “I’m going to impose a Level 1 Community Payback Order. Were it not for your plea of guilty it would have been 100 hours, it will instead be 70 hours.”