Manchester detective found guilty of stealing cocaine and supplying it to dealers | Crime

A detective who stole almost 4kg of cocaine from a police storage facility at work and sold it on the streets of Manchester has been convicted of multiple offences.

Andrew Talbot, from Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Major Crime Unit, searched the police’s confidential computer systems for known or suspected drug dealers to help them sell the drugs, which he supplied between February 2018 and January 2020.

The 54-year-old was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday of supplying a Class A prohibited drug, misconduct in a public office and failing to comply with a notice under section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Talbot was investigated after he dropped a small bag of cocaine outside his daughter’s primary school on 13 February 2020. He was subsequently searched at work and found to have more cocaine on him. In his car was a piece of paper containing evidence and the ownership number of two successful GMP operations into the supply of the drug.

A search of the house revealed drug paraphernalia and a GMP goods bag containing traces of cocaine. When the haul from two successful seizures of the drugs in the goods shop was weighed, significant quantities of both were found to be missing.

Although Talbot had provided an incorrect PIN code for his mobile phone after receiving a formal notice to report it, police were still able to collect photographs of the cocaine and bags of cocaine on days he visited the store on the premises.

Talbot worked closely with a convicted drug dealer, Keith Bretherton, who was one of several outlets for the stolen drugs. He also used his position as a police officer to provide confidential police information to help Bretherton collect a drugs debt of more than £20,000.

Talbot, who claimed the cocaine was for personal use, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of cocaine possession, possession of ammunition without a firearms licence, theft of cocaine, conspiracy with Bretherton to commit misconduct in a public office, a further count of misconduct in a public office and unauthorised access to computer equipment.

Bretherton, 50, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and possessing cocaine with intent to supply Talbot, and to conspiring with Talbot to commit misconduct in public office.

The duo, both from Leigh, Greater Manchester, will be sentenced on October 18.

DCI Jennifer Adams, from GMP’s anti-corruption unit, said: “Talbot took an oath to become a police officer and serve the public, but instead began to abuse this position to enter a world of criminality. This is why he was dismissed at the first legal opportunity in August and why we have worked with the CPS to build a strong case to ensure he is brought to justice for the full extent of his offences.”