Technician Caught Breaking Bad

Lab technician used university equipment to prepare £10,000 of cocaine for sale


A university physics technician has been caught ‘breaking bad’, using a university lab to prepare £10,000 of cocaine for sale.

Like TV’s Walter White, Timothy Newbury, 53, hoped to make some extra money from the drug business, by helping former soldier Nicholas Avery press his cut cocaine into blocks using the university’s hydraulic press.

Should have called Saul!

CCTV footage revealed the two sneaking into the Physics building last December to access one of the laboratories over the winter holiday.

The pair were caught when their car was stopped by police in Hotwells on the 22nd December and over 250g of cocaine was discovered.

A later search of Mr Avery’s house led to the further discovery of nearly 750g of very high purity cocaine, valued at nearly £200,000.

In court, Timothy Newbury admitted possession with intent and was jailed for eighteen months, whilst Mr Avery was given a sentence of five years.

Judge Julian Lambert told Mr Newbury: ‘You are a bitter disappointment to the court. You had led a positively good and productive life until now and you too have let your friends and family down.’

Unsurprisingly, Mr Newbury’s contract with the university was terminated following an internal investigation.

Physics students have been stunned by the news, with a few questioning why students weren’t informed sooner.

Physics student and SU President-elect Rob Griffiths told The Tab “I think it’s fair to say we don’t expect this sort of thing to be happening around us.”

“I hope the university looks at this incident with the continued security of students in mind.”