GREATER Manchester Police (GMP) has described the actions of one of its detectives who stole cocaine from the evidence store at work and supplied it on the streets as 'one of the most shocking cases of corruption' it has ever investigated. 

Andrew Talbot, who was previously a GMP detective working within the force’s serious crime division, stole just under 4kg of cocaine from the GMP property store at Nexus House, before supplying it between February 2018 and January 2020.

He also conducted multiple searches of GMP’s confidential computer systems for known or suspected drug dealers to help him sell the drugs and provided confidential police information to a friend under investigation for assault.

The 54-year-old conspired with a convicted drug dealer, Keith Bretherton, and used his position as a police officer to give confidential police information to help Bretherton recover a drug debt worth more than £20,000.

The investigation into Talbot by GMP’s anti-corruption unit began after he dropped a small bag of cocaine outside his daughter’s primary school on 13 February 2020.

He was then searched at work and was found to have more cocaine on him and his car contained a piece of paper with exhibit references and the property number for two successful GMP operations into the supply of cocaine. A further search of his home revealed drug paraphernalia and a GMP property bag containing traces of cocaine.

Talbot, 54, of Leigh, was jailed for 19 years at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (October 18) after he was found guilty following a trial of supplying a controlled drug of Class A, misconduct in public office and failing to provide the passcode for his phone.

He had 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, 50, also of Leigh, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Adams, from the Anti-Corruption Unit at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “This is one of the most shocking cases of corruption uncovered by Greater Manchester Police’s anti-corruption unit.

“Whilst cases like this are concerning, they are also extremely rare. There is no place in policing for Talbot, or anyone else like him who cannot be trusted to uphold the law and keep our streets safe.”

Asked how Talbot, a drug addict, was able to carry on stealing and dealing drugs, for two years while working for the police, DCI Adams said: “He was an addict. He was supplying drugs.

“He’s a very extreme example and our processes allowed us to evidence exactly the scale of his offending.

“He is not representative of all of the thousands of hard-working people who work for Greater Manchester Police.

“He is an isolated exception and quite rightly he’s been handed down a significant sentence today for the full extent of that offending.”

Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “Andrew Talbot brazenly abused his position as a police officer for many years.

“Not only did he steal drugs from Greater Manchester Police’s own evidence store, he then shamelessly supplied those drugs on the streets of the city he was entrusted to police.  

“His disgraceful criminal conduct and association with convicted drug dealer Keith Bretherton are in stark contrast to his duties as an officer to protect the public, and risk undermining public confidence in policing.

“I hope this conviction serves as a reminder that no-one is above the law and that all offenders will be held accountable.”