Drug dealers, among them a former Manchester United cook, were discovered at Leeds Festival with £8,000 worth of drugs.
On the opening day of this year’s Leeds Festival, dealers peddling over £8,000 in drugs were apprehended; among them was a person claiming to be a skilled chef who had previously worked for Manchester United.
Manchester natives Daniel Matthews and Robert Kurzweil were apprehended in possession of copious amounts of cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and 2,000 canisters of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Moreover, thousands of pounds of cash were discovered to be in their possession.
Following their admission to two counts of dealing in Class A drugs and possessing criminal property, both were placed in jail this morning at Leeds Crown Court. Matthews received a 32-month sentence, and Kurzweil received a 36-month sentence.
It happens as demands for increased safety at the Bramham Park music festival increase in the wake of a 16-year-old’s death in 2022.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar delivered his sentence, saying, “You are not the first person to appear before these courts; every year we get a spate of cases where drugs have been supplied to others at the Leeds Festival.”
“Long sentences are handed down, and it’s severe. These festivals draw a sizable crowd of young people, many of whom are still in school, and drug use is commonplace. Some of them become victims of drug traffickers and take drugs for the first time.
The court heard that security personnel visited the location with police officers on August 25, the first day of the festival, after receiving information about possible drug sellers on one of the campsites.
They discovered Kurzweil, 27, and Matthews, 29, who attempted to escape but were apprehended right thereafter. Kurzweil carried £600, while Matthews had £2,000. They discovered £3,840 worth of MDMA and £4,600 worth of cocaine on them and in their tent.The court heard that narcotics were worth twice as much at festivals due to the high demand for them.
Along with the gas cannisters, the officers also discovered multiple “burner phones” with communications pertaining to narcotics sales. They discovered snap bags and scales—tools used for narcotics dealing—in their parked VW Golf. After their arrest, both later acknowledged the offenses, and they have been detained on remand.
Kurzweil, of Selby Drive, Manchester, had been found guilty of 12 crimes in the past, none of which involved drugs. Matthews, of Frodsham Road, Manchester, has been found guilty of three offenses, including possession of cannabis while he was a young lad, for which he was cautioned.
James Littlehales, who was defending Kurweil, said that there had been seven of them at the event in question, that he had the narcotics “on tick” (i.e., ready to reimburse the dealer when they were sold), and that he had admittedly anticipated making money. He claimed to be a laborer with two children, ages two and six.
Sam Roxborough claimed to be a skilled cook who had even worked at Manchester United in response to Matthews. He is a father as well. “He admits he made a massive mistake,” Mr. Roxborough stated. His goal in going there was to enjoy himself. He deeply regrets how it will affect his family.
“He has spent the last two months inside, so he is familiar with the situation.”
