A woman from Somerset, along with two accomplices, has been sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice by fabricating a story to secure a lighter sentence for a convicted drug dealer.
At Swindon Crown Court, it was revealed that 30-year-old Gavin Quinn, detained on suspicion of involvement in the supply of Class A drugs, conspired with David Hewitt, 41, and Andi Chittell-Gilholm, 34. They falsely claimed that Chittell-Gilholm, who supposedly was pregnant with Quinn’s child, was his partner.
In truth, Chittell-Gilholm had never met Quinn. Hewitt promised her £500 to pose as Quinn’s girlfriend in court and describe the potential impact of his sentencing on their supposed relationship. However, she was paid only £50.
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The deception was uncovered during Quinn’s sentencing in August last year, when he received 32 months in prison for his drug offenses. The fabricated story did not influence his original sentence.
On July 10 at Salisbury Crown Court, all three conspirators admitted to charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Quinn received an additional 10-month sentence, Hewitt was sentenced to eight months, and Chittell-Gilholm was given a four-month suspended sentence over two years.
Detective Constable Charlie Forster of Wiltshire Police emphasized the seriousness of the offense: “This was a deliberate attempt to mislead the court to secure a reduced sentence. It is right that they have been held accountable for their actions.”