Drug dealer arrested at Leeds Festival was caught at same event four years before
A dealer arrested at Leeds Festival had been cautioned for drugs at the same event four years earlier.
A judge said Brandon Wood had clearly not “learned his lesson” when he was found selling bags of ketamine at the Bramham Park event in 2023, after being warned for possession in 2019.
The 24-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week, with the judge telling him his clear intention was to maximise his trade earnings by attending the annual music event.
Judge Simon Batiste told him: “Profits that can be made at festivals such as this are much higher than normal street deals.
“The profits are sometimes doubled or tripled. There’s a huge captive audience.”
Security were alerted to Wood selling drugs just after midnight at the festival on August 26, 2023.
He was described as being heavily intoxicated and was found to have magic mushrooms, M-Cat and 11 bags of ketamine on him.
He also had two phones. Prosecutor Louise Pryke said he appeared to pass out but when he came round, was verbally abusive.
Officers then searched his home on Greenlea Court in Huddersfield and found £1,400 worth of ketamine, three small bags of cocaine, cutting agents, scales and cannabis sweets.
His phones were analysed and also showed “clear evidence” of dealing, with Wood discussing the sale of ketamine in kilogrammes for £5,000 and half kilogrammes for £3,000.
During his police interview he claimed the drugs had been planted on him, then during a second interview refused to answer questions.
He later admitted two counts of possession of Class A drugs, possession of Class B drugs and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.
The court heard that he was cautioned for possessing MDMA at the Bramham Park festival in 2019.
Mitigating, Damian Sabino said there was a history of mental health issues and he had “traits of ADHD”.
He said there was “no real explanation” as to why it took more than two years to reach court.
He added that Wood drove for a living and would lose both his job and his home if he were jailed.
But Judge Batiste handed him an immediate 12-month sentence and told him: “It’s clear given the amount of ketamine in your possession that it was a store in order to supply.
“It’s clear you were offering to supply large amounts - up to a kilogramme.
“In the light of those messages, it was not some tiny-scale drunk or drugged-up person who supplied the odd wrap here and there.
“The deterrent must go out that people who go to the Leeds Festival to deal drugs that there are significant risks attached to it.”