Corrupt police inspector '˜stole drugs for son to sell'

A police inspector is to go on trial with his Halifax son accused of stealing drugs from West Yorkshire Police with intent to sell them on.
29 January 2014... . . Leeds Crown Court. (TJ1002/21b). Picture by Tony Johnson29 January 2014... . . Leeds Crown Court. (TJ1002/21b). Picture by Tony Johnson
29 January 2014... . . Leeds Crown Court. (TJ1002/21b). Picture by Tony Johnson

Keith Boots, 54, is accused of 14 drugs offences, one count of possession of ammunition and one count of perverting justice.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges when he appeared before Leeds Crown Court today.

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Boots appeared before the court on screen via a video link from Armley jail alongside his 29-year-old son Ashley Boots.

A third man, Ian Mitchell, 27, also appeared alongside them in connection with the case.

Boots was suspended from duty after he was arrested at his home in Norman Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, which was raided by police in December 2014.

Keith Boots pleaded not guilty to the following charges, alleged to have taken place between 2012 and 2014: theft of cocaine from West Yorkshire Police; possession of cocaine with intent to supply, theft of trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine belonging to West Yorkshire Police; possession of trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine with intent to supply; two offences of theft of cannabis from West Yorkshire Police; two offences of possessing cannabis with intent to supply; possessing diamorphine with intent to supply; possession of MDMA with intent to supply; possession of ammunition, namely 25 Browning cartridges, without a firearms certificate; conspiracy with others to steal controlled drugs belonging to West Yorkshire Police; conspiracy to steal class A, B and C drugs from West Yorkshire Police. He also pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to pervert justice, alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2015.

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Ashley Boots, of Weatherhouse Terrace, Halifax, pleaded not guilty to ten drugs charges. He also denied the charges of possessing ammunition and conspiracy to pervert justice.

Ian Mitchell, of no fixed address, denied one charge of conspiracy to pervert justice.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Paul Greaney, QC, said: “This is a complex case involving police corruption. Keith Boots is a police inspector and the prosecution’s case is that he abused his position to steal drugs in large quantities and conspired with his son to put them back in circulation.

“It is the Crown’s case that Ian Mitchell was used as a patsy to explain away their conduct when they were caught.”

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The trial of all three men was listed to take place on January 3 next year. It is expected to last three months.

The Recorder of Leeds, judge Peter Collier, QC, told the defendants they would be remanded in custody until the trial.