A court in Swindon has sentenced three individuals who fabricated a story in an effort to secure a lighter sentence for a convicted drug dealer. The trio was found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Gavin Quinn, 30, was arrested by Wiltshire Police on suspicion of involvement in the supply of Class A drugs. While in custody, he conspired with David Hewitt, 41, and Andi Chittell-Gilholm, 34, to deceive the court. They falsely claimed that Chittell-Gilholm, who was pregnant at the time, was Quinn’s partner and carrying his child.
In reality, Chittell-Gilholm had never met Quinn. Hewitt promised her £500 to pose as Quinn’s partner and narrate the emotional impact a harsher sentence would have on her. However, she only received £50 from Hewitt.
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The plot was uncovered during Quinn’s sentencing hearing in August last year, where he received a 32-month prison sentence for drug-related offenses. The fabricated story did not influence the original sentence.
On July 10, at Salisbury Crown Court, all three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Quinn was sentenced to 10 months in prison, Hewitt received an eight-month sentence, and Chittell-Gilholm was handed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Detective Constable Charlie Forster from Wiltshire Police commented, “This deliberate deception was an attempt to mislead the court and lessen Quinn’s sentence. Such actions are serious, and it is appropriate that those responsible have been held accountable.”