Leeds Festival dealer handed drugs calling card to undercover security after offering 'pills and powder'
A drug dealer tried touting for business to an undercover security worker at Leeds Festival, before passing him his calling card.
Todd Douglas offered the officer “pills and powder” during this year’s August music event, and was later found to have more than £400 worth of MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
The 18-year-old is thought to have smuggled the drugs into the Bramham Park site in toiletry bottles after several empty containers were found in his tent,
He was handed a suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court. The judge told him he “deserved a prison sentence”, but cited his age and his previously-good character for drawing back from immediate custody.
Prosecuting the case, Carmel Pearson said that undercover security officers are deployed throughout the festival to snare unsuspecting drug dealers.
On August 20, Douglas approached the man and asked if he “needed anything”.
The officer asked what he meant, and Douglas said he had pills and could get hold of “powder” - cocaine and ketamine - if needed.
He then gave him a card with his number on, saying he would be “re-stocking” over the weekend.
Other officers then followed Douglas to his tent and confronted him. He handed over 42 MDMA pills, worth £10 each.
On his phone they found a tick list, a price list and clear messages about selling drugs.
Douglas, of School Bank, Northwich, Cheshire, has no previous convictions.
A probation report said he worked in construction and harboured ambitions of becoming a deep-sea welder.
He also did voluntary work at a caving club in Derbyshire. The probation officer said he had “shown remorse”.
Mitigating, Michael Walsh pointed to Douglas’ age and lack of maturity.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Douglas: “You were just over 18 and saw a chance to make money. You smuggled in a large amount of MDMA to sell to people.
“This was calculated, exploitative drug dealing to make you money. You make more money at music festivals because drugs cost twice as much.”
He gave him a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, with 10 rehabilitation days to complete with probation and 240 hours of unpaid work.