Former GMP officer sentenced for cannabis corruption

An ex-GMP police officer at the centre of a criminal network has been jailed.

Hemayat Enayat, 30, of Gratrix Avenue, Salford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office at an earlier hearing. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

Two other men, Rico Richards, 33, of Cecil Street, Moss Side and Demaine Cousins, also 33, of Greame Street, Moss Side also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office at earlier hearings. Both were sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Dean Barker, 34, of Guildford Road, Salford, and Rudi Chuwen, 39, of Regent Avenue, Moss Side pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis.

Barker was sentenced to three years in prison and Chuwen received a nine-month suspended sentence and was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid community work.  

All five were sentenced today, Wednesday 7 December 2016 at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square.

In November 2015, Greater Manchester Police’s Anti-Corruption Unit launched an investigation into Enayat, who was a PC on the Trafford Division, after concerns into his activities came to light.

Enquiries identified that on a number of occasions, Enayat had accessed police systems without a lawful policing purpose and for the benefit of the organised crime group.

Detectives discovered that Enayat, along with Richards, Cousins, Barker and Chuwen, had been operating a cannabis farm in two upstairs rooms within a second house owned by Enayat on Gurner Avenue in Ordsall.

The court heard how the group had been cultivating cannabis in Enayat’s house with the intention of selling it for a large profit. Chuwen tended to the cannabis on a daily basis whilst Barker organised the day-to-day management of the grow.

On Thursday 4 February 2016 officers executed warrants in Salford, Moss Side, and South Manchester and seized cannabis with a street value of £26,000, cash, hydroponic growing equipment and drug dealing paraphernalia. All five were arrested the same day.

Enayat was dismissed in a Special Case hearing on the 28 April 2016.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling said: “The criminal enterprise jailed today was actively involved in growing cannabis, which thankfully hasn’t made its way onto the streets of Greater Manchester.

“Enayat was a key player in this group, allowing his house to be used for criminal activities."

He abused his position and the trust placed in him as a police officer for criminal gains.

“We are appalled by the actions of this officer, who has allowed his greed to get the better of him."