Police officer who stole £700k worth of drugs from evidence store is jailed for 26 years

A police inspector who was found with £700,000 of drugs at his home has been jailed for 26 years.

Keith Boots, 55, was responsible for disposing of seized drugs for West Yorkshire Police in Bradford but instead stole large quantities to supply back on to the streets, Leeds Crown Court heard.

He was found guilty of a range of offences last week.

Boots had been a West Yorkshire Police officer since 1990 and an inspector for more than 10 years.

When colleagues raided his home in Norman Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, in December 2014 they found cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and cannabis worth around £700,000, including 11kg of cocaine "jammed" into his washing machine, the jury was told.

Boots was found guilty of a range of offences including conspiracy to steal drugs, conspiracy to supply drugs, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, theft and possessing drugs with intent to supply.

His son Ashley Boots, 30, of Weatherhouse Terrace, Halifax, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He admitted six charges of possessing drugs with intent to supply and one count of possessing ammunition - and was sentenced to 24 years behind bars.

A third man, Ian Mitchell, 28, of no fixed address, received a five year sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Keith Boots was dismissed from West Yorkshire Police following a hearing in March last year.