West Yorkshire policeman Keith Boots' home 'warehouse of drugs'

A police inspector responsible for disposing of seized drugs was found with thousands of pounds worth in his home, a trial heard.

Keith Boots, 55, who was a West Yorkshire Police officer for more than 20 years, allegedly stole drugs from police stores to supply others.

They included cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and cannabis.

Prosecutors described his home in Eccleshill, Bradford, as resembling "a warehouse of controlled drugs".

Leeds Crown Court heard the large store of drugs was found when colleagues raided Boots's home in Norman Lane, in December 2014.

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Prosecutor Paul Greaney QC said: "He was stealing and storing drugs so that they could then be supplied unlawfully to others.

'Drugs in washing machine'

"In other words, the Boots operation did not just involve the theft of drugs that had been removed from the streets by the police, it also involved putting them back on to those same streets and the person principally responsible was Keith Boots, a police inspector."

The drugs were in different places, including his washing machine, and ammunition was also found, the court heard.

Mr Greaney described it as "a unique case", adding that it was as "simple as it was wicked".

Mr Greaney said that in December 2014 Boots was stationed at Trafalgar House station in Bradford.

He said the raid on Boots's home happened after a colleague noticed cocaine missing from the station store.

Keith Boots went on trial on Wednesday with his son Ashley Boots and a third defendant, Ian Mitchell.

He denies theft, possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply, possessing ammunition, conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Ashley Boots, 29, of Weatherhouse Terrace, Halifax, denies possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply, possessing ammunition, conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, conspiracy to steal andconspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Ian Mitchell, 27, of no fixed address, denies conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.