Leeds Festival employee caught selling 'Super Mario' MDMA pills, ketamine and cocaine
A cleaner employed to help tidy up at the Leeds Festival was caught selling drugs to music fans.
Macauley Ernest Holmes was found with £1,630 of illegal substances on him when security spotted him during this year’s August event. He also had £230 cash on him, despite the Bramham Park festival being cashless.
The 25-year-old had 97 MDMA / ecstasy pills bearing a Super Mario logo, 14 one-gramme bags of ketamine worth and six half-gramme bags of cocaine.
It was heard that drugs are often sold at inflated prices at festivals so dealers can expect greater profits, prosecutor Brogan Riley told Leeds Crown Court.
Along with the drugs, they found a vest on him belonging to the company employed to clean up the site.
Having been escorted away by security, he was arrested by police and interviewed, where he gave a prepared statement claiming the drugs were for personal use.
Holmes, of Carleton Glen, Pontefract, has two previous convictions for three offences, including possession of cannabis. He was on a community order at the time of his arrest.
He later admitted two counts of dealing in Class A drugs, and one of Class B.
Mitigating, Ian Hudson said Holmes was originally from the Derby area and moved north around six months ago.
He said that Holmes’ father had passed away last year and the family were expected to split the cost of his funeral, with Holmes asked to contribute £3,400 but he was unable to find the cash.
Holmes had got the job at the festival, giving him free access to the arena when he was not working.
Mr Hudson said: “He foolishly followed someone’s recommendation that it was an easy thing to deal drugs at the festival. He is very remorseful and regretful.”
Judge Simon Batiste told Holmes: “Because it’s a contained environment [at the Leeds Festival], drug dealers like you can make greater profits, but equally there must be greater consequences.
“The message must go out that of you deal in Class A drugs at music festivals, significant sentences must follow.
“You had obtained employment for the company providing the cleaning service. You clearly obtained that employment at a time you decided you were going to deal drugs.
“You were able to make that your cover. It made life easier for you.”
He jailed Holmes for three years and nine months.