Key Facts
- •Mason Rodgers, aged 21, pleaded guilty to five drug offences: supplying ketamine, possessing MDMA with intent to supply, possessing cocaine with intent to supply, possessing ketamine with intent to supply, and supplying MDMA.
- •Offences occurred on two days: August 25th (supply) and August 27th (possession with intent to supply) at Creamfields Music Festival.
- •Drugs seized included MDMA tablets, cocaine, and ketamine; intended for sale at the festival.
- •Rodgers claimed drugs were for personal use, but phone messages indicated intent to supply.
- •A young woman died from drug consumption at the same festival.
- •Rodgers had no prior convictions.
- •The judge initially sentenced him to 3 years' detention in a Young Offender Institution (YOI), later corrected to imprisonment.
Legal Principles
Sentencing guidelines for drug offences, considering harm category, culpability (role), aggravating and mitigating factors.
Sentencing Act 2020, section 14; relevant sentencing guidelines
Consideration of undue delay in prosecution and its impact on sentencing.
R v Ali [2023] EWCA Crim 232
Consideration of the restrictive conditions of imprisonment during the Covid-19 pandemic as a mitigating factor.
R v Manning [2020] EWCA Crim 592
Outcomes
Appeal dismissed.
The Court of Appeal found the judge erred in classifying Rodgers as having a 'significant role' but concluded the overall sentence of 3 years (after a discount for guilty pleas) was not manifestly excessive given the seriousness of the offenses, aggravating factors (festival setting, multiple drugs, determined attempts to smuggle), and the number of offenses.