A DRUG dealer was caught selling drugs at an Oxfordshire festival after asking an off-duty police officer if he would like some ‘special treats’.
Elfin Forster approached the officer on August 22 last year at the Wilderness Festival in Cornbury Park, where headliners Underworld, Years & Years, and Jungle performed.
After asking the officer if he would like some ‘special treats’, he took a photograph of the 27-year-old who was later identified by on-duty officers and searched at the four-day event.
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She was caught with four types of Class A drugs, including ketamine, MDMA, LSD and Valium. Forster later pleaded guilty to four counts of possession with intent to supply.
Sentencing the young woman to a suspended two-year prison sentence on Monday (December 11), Judge Maria Lamb said: “Given your unhappy family history [of drug use], you of all people should know what misery drug dealing causes and there you were, at Wilderness Festival, pedalling drugs where other people's children are.
“So a starting point of four and a half years shouldn’t surprise you. I can take into account that you haven’t ever done anything like this before and you have started to address your drug use…and since you did what you did, you’ve managed to keep yourself out of trouble for a period of over a year.”
Opening the case, prosecutor Helen Rodgers said Forster was found with about £1,600 worth of drugs as well as a mobile phone with messages from people asking if she had ‘pills or LSD’.
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She added the 27-year-old is of previous good character.
Defending Forster, defence barrister George Joseph said that since her arrest she has been receiving therapy to address her own drug use and has new full-time employment.
He added that her mother has a long-term illness and Forster helps with the cooking, cleaning and her general care.
“The likelihood is this will be the first and the last time she will be in court,” said Mr Joseph. “She is now free from drug use and has been for quite a significant time now and she’s done that without orders from the court or help from probation.”
As well as her suspended sentence, Forster, of Devonport Place, Worthing, West Sussex, will need to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and will have to pay £425 in court costs.
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She will also be made subject to a curfew from 10pm to 5am with the exception of emergency care for her mother.
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