Police officer used granulated sugar to make fake drug wraps

Daniel Jackson, 28, of Gorse Close, Lakenham in Norwich, was a serving Suffolk officer at the time, Norwich Crown Court was told on Friday.

At the hearing, Jackson admitted misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice by preparing the fake wraps.

He admitted misconduct in a public office on October 20, last year, while acting as a serving police officer.

The charge states that he failed to properly investigate suspects over controlled substances and a large amount of cash, and wilfully neglected to perform his duty by failing to submit wraps of controlled substances to the laboratory for forensic analysis.

He also admitted a second charge of doing an act intended to pervert the course of justice on March 4, 2020.

The charge states that Jackson prepared fake drug wraps with granulated sugar as evidence seized at the scene of a roadside drug search.

Jackson was tearful in the dock as he made his guilty pleas at Norwich Crown Court.

Lynne Shirley appeared for the prosecution at the short hearing and said that Jackson had no previous convictions.

Carolina Bracken, for Jackson, said that he was of previous good character and, although custody was usually imposed, she said: “The question is whether this is one of the rare cases where a custodial sentence can be suspended.”

She asked for pre-sentence reports in the case to see if any sentence could be suspended.

Judge Andrew Shaw adjourned the sentencing for reports until October 2 but warned him that in cases like this custody was usually inevitable.

He told him: “This case clearly crosses the custody threshold.”

He granted Jackson bail and told him to return to the crown court for his sentencing.

Judge Shaw told Jackson that although he was ordering pre-sentence reports he was not making any promises.

After the case Suffolk Police confirmed that Jackson was a serving police officer at the time of the offence but had since left the force.