A former Greater Manchester detective constable was caught red-handed after dropping cocaine outside his daughter’s school. Now, Andrew Talbot faces a whopping repayment demand or he risks more jail time.
Detective’s Cocaine Blunder Exposes Massive Drug Heist
Andrew Talbot, 55, was busted after mistakenly dropping a bag containing nearly 4kg of cocaine outside his daughter’s primary school in February 2020. The court heard Talbot, who battled a cocaine addiction, had stolen the drugs from police evidence stores.
He then teamed up with convicted drug dealer Keith Bretherton to flog the stash on the streets of Greater Manchester.
Judge Slams Talbot for Betrayal of Trust
At Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Neil Flewitt KC handed Talbot a 19-year jail sentence and slammed his actions. “You deceived your colleagues and betrayed the trust placed in you by them and the community,” the judge told him.
The drugs had an estimated wholesale value of £140,000 and a staggering retail value near £395,000.
£75k Payback or More Time Inside
In a proceeds of crime hearing on Monday, police revealed Talbot profited £179,372 from his crime spree. He now must cough up £75,420 within three months or face an additional two years behind bars.
Detective Inspector John Andrew of GMP said: “Talbot is already paying for his crimes by losing his livelihood and liberty. Now he must pay financially. This sends a clear message: corrupt officers will be brought to justice and cannot profit at the expense of colleagues and the public.”
Helen Hughes from the Crown Prosecution Service added: “Andrew Talbot abused his position as a police detective. He stole drugs from GMP’s property store and sold them in the very city he vowed to protect. It is right he should not benefit from his crimes.”
