A FORMER soldier caught with a sawn off shotgun after a road smash has been sentenced to five years.

Shaun Cumming was snared following the incident in Ruchazie on March 2 2019.

The 30 year-old, of East Kilbride, had previously served two tours of duty in Afghanistan before suffering number a personal issues on leaving the forces.

John McElroy, defending, told the High Court in Glasgow that Cumming was found to have complex post traumatic stress disorder due to “adverse sights” he had witnessed in the army.

The ex-squaddie was said to have “self medicated” with alcohol then drugs before owing cash to criminals.

Describing the gun incident, the advocate added: “He was simply delivering something to cancel out a drug debt.

“It is hoped when he gets out of prison, he will be like the person he was when he left school - someone who was prepared to carry out service for his country.”

Cumming earlier pleaded guilty to being in possession of the weapon.

Lady Stacey said she had to impose a minimum five year jail-term.

She told him: “You, of all people, know the dangers of a firearm.”

But, she showed Cumming some mercy by ordering the sentence not to run consecutively to a two-year stint he got last month for a drug offence.