Drug dealer caught with stash of ecstasy, cannabis and knives in his work van on his way to Leeds Festival

West Yorkshire Police officers pulled over the vehicle in Bramham after it drove past them with both registration plates covered with tape.

Leeds Crown Court heard the officers stopped the transit van on Westwood Road and spoke to Jordan Eccles on August 24, 2018.

The officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle.

Eccles told the officers he had the class B drug with him for his own use.

Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, said the van was searched and 32 bags of cannabis, worth around £300, were found behind the driver's seat.

A bag of 32 MDMA pills were also found.

A lock knife was found below the dashboard and a second knife was in a compartment above the steering wheel.

Eccles made no comment when interviewed but admitted the vehicle was his work van.

He later went on to tell officers that he was given the drugs to sell by someone he owed a £3,000 debt to.

Eccles, 22, of Holmfield Close, Pontefract, pleaded guilty to possession of a class A and B drug with intent to supply and two counts of possession of a bladed article.

Abdul Shakoor, mitigating, said Eccles pleaded guilty at an early stage and has not been in trouble in over two years since the incident.

Mr Shakoor said: "At the time of the offences he was in a bad place and got himself involved with the wrong people.

"He doesn't seek to blame anyone else for that."

Mr Shakoor said Eccles was a hard worker.

Eccles was given a two-yea prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Eccles was also made the subject of an electronically-monitored curfew order for 16 weeks.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said: "It is only because of the passage of two years and eight months and you not committing any other offences that saves you from custody."