Leeds Festival drug dealer had ecstasy pills hidden in sleeping bag

Liam Sircar, 20, was given an 18 month sentence after a judge said the offending was too serious to impose anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.

Leeds Crown Court heard Sircar was stopped for a random security check as he queued to get into the Bramham Park event at 8.45am on August 25 last year.

A security officer found two small bags of ecstasy in his rucksack.

Philip Adams, prosecuting, said Sircar claimed he had had them from the previous festival and had forgotten they were in the rucksack.

A more extensive search was carried out and a larger bag of drugs was found in Sircar’s sleeping bag.

A total of 41 tablets were found plus small amounts of cocaine and cannabis.

Sircar, who was 19 at the time of the offence, tried to run off but was chased and detained by security officers until police arrived to arrest him.

His mobile phone was later searched and text messages were recovered which referred to him supplying drugs to others. Sircar, of Barson Grove, Buxton, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy with intent to supply, possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis.

Alisdair Campbell, mitigating, said Sircar had no previous convictions and came from a loving, supportive family.

Mr Campbell urged Recorder Paul Isaacs to consider suspending a prison sentence.

He said Sircar only intended to supply the drugs to friends at the festival.

The barrister said Sircar did not intend to make a large financial gain.

Mr Campbell added that Sicar had a job as a plasterer, was hard working and had no previous convictions.

Jailing Sircar, Recorder Paul Isaacs, said: “What a tragic case.

“This gives me no pleasure at all because I can see very clearly how this happened.

“But happen it did and this is serious offending.

“Quite clearly from the mobile phone records and the data that was recovered, you were prepared to sell to others.”