Drug theft cop given 23 years

A detective who stole more than a million pounds worth of drugs from police stores and then sold them back onto the streets with his brother, has been jailed for 23 years.

Nicholas McFadden lived a champagne lifestyle after helping himself to heroin, cocaine and cannabis by exploiting slack security at West Yorkshire Police's secret evidence stores.

Simon McFadden - the brother of former West Yorkshire police officer Nicholas McFadden, helped his brother sell seized drugs. He was given a 16 year jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court today.

Former West Yorkshire police officer Nicholas Mcfadden was found guilty of selling seized drugs - and was given a 23 year jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court today.

Sentencing, Judge Tom Bayliss QC said to Nicholas McFadden: "You had so much money you didn't know what to do with it."

He added McFadden had stolen 24kg of heroin, with a street value of £1.2m.

Nicholas McFadden, a West Yorkshire Police officer found guilty of selling drugs seized from criminals back onto the streets, has been given a 23 year jail sentence.

His brother Simon has been handed a 16 year sentence at Leeds Crown Court.

Simon McFadden's wife Karen, who spent thousands of pounds from the criminal activity, was given a one year suspended sentence.

Karen McFadden and her husband Simon - the brother of Nick McFadden, an officer who sold seized drugs - lived the "high life" on the proceeds of the stolen drugs.

Leeds Crown Court heard the couple spent £160,000 in a matter of months. Karen McFadden, 41, spent thousands in Harvey Nichols and Vivienne Westwood.

She bought bikinis at £160 each, and a private number plate for her MX5.

She explained her fortune away by claiming they were casino winnings. The prosecution said Karen McFadden, who admits money laundering, spent the money knowing it was the proceeds of her husband's criminal activity but without knowing the finer detail of how he had come about the cash.

A corrupt police officer has been found guilty of dealing large amounts of hard drugs seized from criminals he'd helped to put behind bars.

Nicholas McFadden and his brother Simon made a fortune taking heroin and cocaine from police stores and selling them back onto the streets.

The pair were convicted at Leeds Crown Court today. Nicholas McFadden also admitted money laundering. David Hirst reports.