Police find machete in Peterborough drug dealer's trousers

A drug dealer has been fined £500 after police officers found a machete in his trousers.

Police followed Kieran Beckett, 20, as he left a house in Eastfield, Peterborough, in a taxi last December.

Officers were acting on information about his involvement in recent violent incidents and pulled the car over in Grove Street, Fletton.

Beckett, of Fengate in the city, made a run for it, but was soon caught and detained in Oundle Road.

The handle of a machete was seen sticking out of the top of Beckett's tracksuit trousers, leading to his arrest and a full search which revealed three mobile phones and £788.40 in cash, police said.

Officers searched Kieran Beckett and found a machete in his trousers

Beckett was further arrested in connection with drug supply offences.

When interviewed, Beckett was adamant there was nothing on his phones linking him to drugs supply, stating two of the phones were specifically to use social media - one for Instagram and one for Snapchat.

But a review of the phones confirmed his involvement in the supply of drugs.

'Dangerous weapon'

Beckett appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on 10 October, after previously pleading guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and being concerned in the supply of cannabis, heroin, and cocaine.

He was also given a 24-month community order, must complete 40 days' rehabilitation and 12 months mental health treatment, and forfeit the cash and the machete.

PC Daniel Dimeo, one of the arresting officers, said: "Thanks to the work of the neighbourhood officers, we have been able to take a dangerous weapon off the streets and disrupt drug supply issues in Peterborough.

"For us to continue our work tackling drug supply, information from the public is vital for us to be able to identify the individuals involved."