A police officer became hooked on heroin after posing as an addict for an undercover operation.

Robert Carroll, of Holmfirth, claimed he ‘inhaled fumes’ from the class A drug while in the undercover role as a junkie to trap dealers.

Manchester Crown Court heard how the lines between his real life and that of his undercover alter ego ‘Lee Taylor’ became dangerously blurred as he began to smoke heroin every day.

Carroll, a former PC in the drugs squad, has now been jailed for 14 months by a judge who heard that he gave his drug dealer police issue weapons – and sneaked away from work to meet him in a police car.

Carroll, 40, admitted charges of misconduct in public office and theft.

The former officer, who was sacked by the Chief Constable earlier this year, claims Greater Manchester Police ‘failed’ him by not protecting him from the risk of addiction or supporting him through his problems.

GMP deny the claims.

Carroll joined GMP in 2001 and trained as a ‘test purchase’ officer in 2006.

In 2008 he joined the force’s Sigma unit – which is dedicated to rooting out drug dealers using covert tactics.

Police have gone undercover as addicts in a number of crackdowns in recent years.

By 2009, Carroll was using a wrap a day of heroin and in touch with the drugs charity Lifeline.

He was prescribed Subutex and attempted to wean himself off the drug, but by 2012 he had lapsed.

In July 2012, drug dealer Jermaine White’s home was raided by police who found a GMP issue CS gas canister and a baton which had been issued to Carroll.

At the time Carroll was working at Oldham police station on restricted duties’ after time off with depression.

Robert Carroll
Robert Carroll

But twice in one morning he sneaked off his shift at the station to meet White, raising bosses’ suspicions.

A raid at Carroll’s home days later recovered a phone which revealed he had contacted White 2,200 times in the previous four months.

Carroll says he has now beaten his addiction – with the help of his police officer wife, who took charge of his money and booked hypnotherapy sessions.

When he was sacked by Sir Peter Fahy earlier this year, the Chief Constable described it as an ‘enormous tragedy’ for a ‘very hardworking officer’ and his family, the court heard.

In a statement to the Examiner, Mr Carroll said he “simply needed help” – and got “no support from the force."

Before he was jailed, the officer told journalists he was ‘distraught’ at what he had put his family through, and accused GMP of “forgoing the handling of their most valuable equipment – people.”

Sending him down, Judge Martin Steiger QC said: “I fully recognise that the defendant became addicted through his police service and he’s to be commended on the efforts he made in the interests of law and order.

“But where police officers suffer because of their duties it is incumbent upon them to obtain treatment and help.

“He did not do so – he did the very opposite – he continued his association with White. A significant sentence is called for to demonstrate the high standards the public expect from police.”

Jermaine White, 25, of Gibson Street, Oakes, will be sentenced next Friday for drug offences.

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