A former Greater Manchester Police officer has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison for orchestrating a cocaine supply chain between Manchester and Devon. Gary Parkinson, 45, who served 15 years with GMP before moving to Holsworthy, Devon, used his contacts to establish the drug line in 2019.
Exeter Crown Court heard that Parkinson provided funding, arranged drop-off points in Devon, and coordinated the onward distribution of cocaine. He organised couriers to transport half-kilogram consignments from Manchester to Devon, where the drugs were then passed to street-level dealers, including Benjamin Mennell-Flisher, who was jailed in 2023.
Parkinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. The judge noted that the sentence would have been longer—starting at ten years—but was reduced due to substantial delays in the case and Parkinson's serious health issues following a quad bike accident in 2018.
Defence barrister Harry Laidlaw said Parkinson had 'sullied his reputation with his decision-making' after leaving the police, describing him as a 'man of integrity' who made poor choices. Judge Stephen Climie acknowledged that Parkinson had led a law-abiding life previously but had played a leading role in the drug supply operation.
