By Stephen Briggs
A Peterborough man, Christopher Griffiths, 46, has had his sentence extended after admitting his involvement in the dealing of class A drugs. Griffiths, who was originally jailed for ten years for conspiring to kidnap two construction workers, now faces an additional sentence for drug offenses.
Griffiths was arrested on January 27, 2022, at his former home in Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, when police carried out a search warrant related to the kidnap and robbery of two men. During the search, authorities discovered a dedicated area in Griffiths’ kitchen for preparing, weighing, and wrapping drugs, as well as a significant quantity of heroin and crack cocaine—worth approximately £2,410. Among the items found was a “burner” phone that was constantly ringing throughout the raid.
Griffiths, who confronted officers with a machete as they entered his home, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and two counts of kidnapping. He was convicted along with his accomplice, Norman Hitchings, in April 2023, with both receiving 10-year prison sentences. Griffiths was also found guilty of fraud.
Alongside the kidnap investigation, a separate probe into drug trafficking uncovered Griffiths’ involvement in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. As a result, Griffiths was charged in July 2023, and today, he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court, where he was sentenced to an additional two years and three months for his role in drug dealing.
Detective Constable Craig Trevor, who led the investigation, emphasized Griffiths’ violent nature and involvement in organized crime, saying, “Griffiths is an extremely violent man who not only subjected two men to a horrendous ordeal where they suffered extreme calculated violence, but was also found with a significant amount of class A drugs, along with weapons, in his family home.”
Griffiths is currently serving his sentence at HMP Highpoint, Suffolk, and will serve the extended prison term concurrently with his previous sentence.
The court’s action sends a strong message about the serious consequences of organized criminal activity and drug dealing.
