Leeds Festival drug dealers warned they face 'long sentences' as two more young men are jailed

Corin Armitage, 20, and Cody Harper, 18, were both caught with large amounts of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine after security were alerted to the pair at the Bramham Park music event on August 23 this year.

Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, Carmel Pearson said Armitage tried to run when challenged by security but was detained and handcuffed.

He had 130 wraps of cocaine and ketamine, and more than 170 MDMA tablets. Harper was also found to have drugs on him.

Discussions in court suggested the overall value was inflated because of drugs costing more at music festivals, but Miss Pearson put the valuation of the substances at between £6,000 and £7,000.

Armitage’s phone also contained evidence of dealing with customers asking for prices, while hundreds of pounds in cash were also found between them.

Their homes were searched and they found scribblings of how much money they could make at the festival, estimated to be in the region of £2,500 each.

They each admitted two counts of dealing in Class A drugs, one of Class B, and possessing criminal property. Armitage also admitted a charge of affray after becoming involved in a brawl in a Barnsley nightclub in November 2022, in which a man was left with three fractures to his face.

Mitigating for Armitage, Emily Hassell said he had been previously diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, affecting his nervous system and that he was forced to stop working as a result.

She said: “It led him to commit offences of selling drugs at the festival. It was financially motivated and that is conceded.

"He is a young person and there’s an element of immaturity. He made a stupid decision. He is remorseful for what he has done.”

For Harper, Sean Fritchley said it was committed out of “naivety and stupidity” but that he accepted responsibility. He said he has a good job earning and added: “It beggars belief he would want to involve himself in this enterprise. He earns around £50,000 a year which is phenomenal for someone who is 18, and there was no reason to be drawn into this enterprise.”

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told the pair: “Those who supply drugs do so because of greed, they want extra money. Both of you made a conscious decision to go the Leeds Festival with large quantities of drugs. You were dealing to simply make money.

"It’s sad to see you both coming coming before these courts and having to be sentenced for such serious offending, but those who supply drugs can expect long sentences.”

Armitage, of New Street, Barnsley, was given three years’ detention in a young offender institute. Harper, of William Street, Barnsley, was given 30 months in a young offender institute.

The pair are the latest to be jailed for dealing drugs at the popular annual festival, with two men also sentenced earlier this month for dealing in MDMA and cocaine.

Organisers of the event had promised to tighten up on dealers following a teenager’s death last year caused by drugs.