Drug dealer who took over Peterborough flat of vulnerable person jailed

Pernel Taylor (29) was discovered in a flat in Herlington, Orton Malborne, Peterborough, on Tuesday, December 4, following a police warrant.

Officers found Taylor on his own in the living room with a bag containing more than £600 in cash and drugs, including heroin, which had a value of around £500.

The court heard Taylor, who is originally from London, travelled to Peterborough and preyed on the vulnerable owner of the flat in order to use it as a base to deal from, a process known as cuckooing.

On Friday, January 4 at Cambridge Crown Court Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply, one for heroin and the other for cocaine. He was sentenced to a total of five years and eight months in prison.

Detective Constable George Coxon, who investigated the matter, said: “The community action team will continue to target those who do the most harm in our communities and prey on the vulnerable. This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone engaged in this activity. We will not tolerate it.”