Gary Parkinson, 45, a former Greater Manchester police officer, has been jailed for six years and four months after running a county lines cocaine trafficking operation from Manchester to Crediton, Devon.
The drug trafficking took place over seven weeks between November 2019 and January 2020, moving approximately two kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value of £160,000.
Parkinson, who left the police force due to a serious injury, relocated to Devon to be near his parents but used his contacts in Manchester to establish and finance the drug supply chain. A co-conspirator made multiple trips from Hyde, Greater Manchester, to deliver drugs to Devon, with Parkinson supplying via a dealer based in Crediton.
Police arrested Parkinson carrying £7,000 in cash and seized a dealer’s ledger listing customer debts ranging from £2,500 to £11,700. Although Parkinson lived near Holsworthy, Devon, he orchestrated the drug distribution through his local connections.
At Exeter Crown Court, Parkinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Judge Stephen Climie described the offence as “very serious” considering Parkinson’s 15-year career in the police force. The sentence was reduced from a possible 10 years due to Parkinson’s guilty plea, health issues, financial difficulties, and lengthy case delays.
Parkinson suffers from severe abdominal injuries sustained in a 2018 quad bike accident that required major surgery, and he is awaiting further operations. He also has Huntington’s disease, an incurable degenerative condition, which was highlighted by his defence counsel during sentencing.
Parkinson’s barrister, Harry Laidlaw, stated that the offending occurred after Parkinson left the police and there was no evidence he used insider knowledge. He added that Parkinson accepted full responsibility and had not reoffended since his arrest, despite multiple postponements before sentencing.
Originally published by UKNIP.
