Ex-Suffolk Police officer jailed over fake cocaine wraps

Daniel Jackson threw away cocaine seized in a stop and search, a court heard

A former police officer who threw away cocaine seized in a stop and search and then manufactured evidence to cover his tracks has been jailed for 12 months.

Daniel Jackson, 28, formerly of Suffolk Police, threw away three wraps seized from a stopped vehicle in Newmarket last year.

A court heard he filed a false report to say nothing had been recovered.

Jackson admitted misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Norwich Crown Court heard Jackson, of Lakenheath, Suffolk, was called as back-up to help two more junior officers making an arrest.

He threw away the drugs seized and, when challenged months later, falsified evidence, making fake drugs wraps using granulated sugar and logging them as an exhibit.

The court heard that before the incident, he had received a text message from his partner breaking up with him.

Recorder Caroline Goodwin QC told Jackson: "I accept that you had received a very distressing text from your partner and that may have coloured your approach but your conduct on this night was nothing short of disgraceful.

"There was an utter disregard for your role."

Jackson was jailed at the hearing at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday

She said Jackson allowed a suspect to leave the scene and discouraged a colleague from giving chase, saying he knew the suspect's address and would speak to him later.

He also allowed a suspect to keep £800 found in the stopped vehicle.

The judge said: "It beggars belief that you simply say now that you threw away those wraps of class A drugs".

She accepted it was not an instance of personal gain, adding: "This was a sequence of decisions you will now regret for the rest of your life.

"Honesty and integrity (go) to the heart of policing. Anything which undermines that very basic premise is to be discouraged."

Jackson had resigned from the force by the time of a misconduct hearing last month, which barred him from serving as an officer again.