Corrupt police officer caught out after what was found outside daughter's primary school
Andrew Talbot was caught after his daughter's school contacted the police
A detective who stole almost £400,000 worth of drugs from police evidence stores and gave them to his criminal pals has been jailed. Former Greater Manchester Police detective constable Andrew Talbot, 54, conspired with a convicted drug dealer to sell the stolen drugs on the streets.
He appeared for sentence at Liverpool Crown Court today, October 18, after being found guilty of supplying a controlled drug of Class A, misconduct in public office and failing to comply with a notice under the Regulation and Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine, possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate, theft of cocaine, conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, misconduct in public office, and unauthorised access to computer material.
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His accomplice, Keith Bretherton, 50, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC said: “As a result of conscientious and dedicated police work, large quantities of Class A drugs were taken off the streets by officers of Greater Manchester Police, many of whom were your colleagues.
“As a result of your addiction and greed a significant quantity of that cocaine was put back into circulation. You deceived your colleagues and you betrayed the trust placed in you by them and the community.”
The investigation into Talbot, by GMP’s anti-corruption unit, began in February 2020 after he dropped a small bag of cocaine outside his daughter’s primary school.
James Lake, prosecuting, said: “Staff members were made aware that a snap bag containing white powder had been found on the footpath. When the school looked at close circuit television they saw that it was Andrew Talbot who had dropped the snap bag. Unsurprisingly, given they knew he was a police officer, they contacted the police.”
When Talbot was arrested after arriving for duty at work on February 17 2020, a total of 26.8g of high purity cocaine was found in his coat pocket, as well as smaller amounts which were lower purity. Snap bags and a piece of paper with exhibit references for Operation Cosmetic – an investigation into the nationwide supply of cocaine – were found in his car, and three bullets were found at his home in Leigh.
When officers checked drugs which had been seized as part of Operation Cosmetic and another investigation they found just under 4kg of cocaine was missing. Mr Lake said: “He accepted when he attended the property store he would take pocketfuls, as much as he could fit in his pockets.”
The court heard the drugs had an estimated wholesale value of £140,000 and a retail value of £394,500. The judge said: “Although it is unclear exactly how Andrew Talbot disposed of the stolen cocaine, I have no doubt that he sold it to criminals who, in turn, cut it and sold it on the streets.”
Talbot conducted multiple searches of GMP’s confidential computer systems for known or suspected drug dealers in his area. He also provided confidential police information to a friend under investigation for assault and to Bretherton, to help him recover a drug debt worth more than £20,000.
Ryan Donoghue, defending Talbot, said there was no evidence Talbot was living a “lavish lifestyle”. He said: “He did have at the time a long-standing addiction to cocaine.”
The court heard Talbot had served in the police force for 20 years, and had spent three years in the armed forces, but had become addicted to cocaine after difficulties in his personal life and due to his role in an operation in which Anthony Grainger was shot by armed police in Culcheth, Cheshire.
He was sentenced to 19 years in prison. His accomplice Bretherton, also of Leigh, Greater Manchester, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
