Greater Manchester Police detective jailed for stealing drugs from work and selling them on streets

A Greater Manchester police detective who stole drugs from work to sell them on the streets has been jailed.

Andrew Talbot took just under 4kg of cocaine from an evidence store, and used police systems to link up with drug dealers who could help him sell them.

Talbot, 54, spent two years supplying the drugs, between 2018 and 2020, but was caught when he dropped a bag of cocaine outside his daughter's school.

He was then searched at work, where colleagues found more drugs on him, before discovering paraphernalia at his home.

Following Talbot’s arrest, the investigation focused on the property store and when the cocaine from the two successful operations was weighed, significant quantities were missing from both.

Although he did not provide the PIN for his mobile phone, police were able to recover some of the photographs from Talbot’s mobile phone, which included pictures of the cocaine and exhibit bags on days when he accessed the property store.

He also worked closely with dealer Keith Bretherton, 50, who provided one of a number of outlets for the stolen drugs.

Talbot was found guilty of of supplying a controlled drug of Class A during a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Talbot previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine, possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate, theft of cocaine, conspiracy, with Bretherton, to commit misconduct in public office, a further count of misconduct in public office, and unauthorised access to computer material.

Bretherton pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and conspiracy, with Talbot, to commit misconduct in public office.

Talbot was sentenced to 19 years.

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