Dealer who stashed drugs in Kinder Surprises and stole from disabled Whittlesey couple is jailed

Matthew Wright (35) befriended the couple and was staying with them at their home in the town.

In the early hours of November 13 he stole their Peugeot Expert, a laptop, stereo and speakers. Later that day he filled the vehicle with fuel at a Shell filling station in Carr Road, Fengate, and drove off without paying.

Wright was arrested but while on bail officers stopped him as he drove a Renault Megane in Oundle Road, Peterborough, on December 12.

A search of the car revealed 13 wraps of crack cocaine and 38 wraps of heroin worth £510 stashed in Kinder Surprise inserts. He was arrested at the scene and later released on bail.

On March 11 staff at John Lewis in Queensgate stopped Wright who was acting suspiciously in the store. When officers arrived and searched him they found make-up worth £139.96, which he admitted he had stolen from a nearby branch of Superdrug. Wright was questioned and released on bail.

On April 4 Wright, who was by now wanted for failing to appear at court in relation the first offence, was spotted by staff stealing a thermometer worth £49.99 from Boots in Flaxlands, Bretton. He managed to get away, but returned on April 15 to steal make-up worth £92. However, the same member of staff recognised and apprehended him.

Wright, of no fixed abode, admitted possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, three counts of theft from a shop, two counts of theft, theft of a motor vehicle, making off without payment and failing to surrender to bail.

Today (Friday, May 10) at Peterborough Crown Court he was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

DC Peter Hume said: “Wright showed a complete lack of regard for the people he stole from as he went on this spree to help fund his drug habit.

“He moved from being a drug user to dealing the very substances that were clearly ruining his life and those of others trapped by addiction.

“We will continue to work hard to prosecute people who deal drugs, which cause havoc for communities and are often a factor in other crimes such as violence and burglary.”