Leigh Park drug dealer busted by police investigating Mutiny Festival deaths is spared jail

Lee Harvey escaped with his freedom during his sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday after judge Timothy Mousley QC concluded the Leigh Park drug pusher was now making a ‘success of his life’.

The court heard how the 22-year-old was arrested by police following the deaths of 20-year-old Tommy Cowan and 18-year-old Georgia Jones who died on the first evening of the music festival at King George V playing fields on May 26, 2018.

Harvey admitted three charges of concerned in the supply of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine between April 3 in 2017 and May 29, 2018.

But prosecutor Martyn Booth said, despite being caught out for selling drugs, there was no ‘evidential link’ the defendant sold any drugs that led to the deaths.

‘There was and still is a huge amount of interest into what happened,’ the prosecutor said. ‘The nature of what happened inevitably led police to carry out an inquiry into the circumstances of the two deaths.’

He added: ‘There is no evidence it was these drugs (that led to the deaths). If there was he would be facing much more serious charges.’

Harvey, of Owslebury Grove, had a warrant for his arrest issued to his address in May 2018 where 100 ‘Silver Audi’ MDMA tablets with a street value of £500-£1,000 were found.

An inquest into the deaths of Tommy and Georgia concluded they had died of taking Silver Audis - but the drugs Harvey sold did not lead to their deaths.

Police also found £45 worth of ketamine during the raid at Harvey’s address and cash of £2,400.

Later the same day Harvey was caught red-handed by police travelling in his car towards Portsmouth with six packets of ketamine and two packets of cocaine with cash of £600.

‘There was £3,000 cash found in total - wholly inconsistent for someone with a nominal income,’ Mr Booth said.

Drugs paraphernalia including scales and bags were found.

A phone was also seized by police but Harvey refused to offer up the pin code ‘because he knew what would be found’. It resulted in a ‘lengthy and expensive’ battle to unlock the device.

A series of messages were later found on the phone showing the extent of his dealing a range of drugs including ecstasy, cocaine and MDMA.

‘There were varying quantities he was dealing in ranging from £15 to £660,’ Mr Booth said. ‘There was a list of 22 names with a total amount of drugs logged amounting to £2,400.’

Messages with him offering 100 tablets of MDMA for £450 were seen along with advertising messages, as well as requests for the defendant to buy tablets from ‘higher up the food chain’.

Despite selling drugs to friends and acquaintances Mr Booth added: ‘You could say it was worse than street dealing.

‘It was a significant amount of drug dealing to a large number of people over a long period of time.’

Harvey offered ‘no comment’ interviews to police throughout the investigation.

The court was told how Harvey had now turned his life around after training to be an electrician.

Judge Mousley told Harvey: ‘You were actively dealing in ecstasy, mostly, to a reasonably high level to an established clientele over a significant period.’

The judge added: ‘You were immediately remorseful after what happened at Mutiny Festival.’

Judge Mousley went on to say how Harvey had ‘addressed his offending by making a success of his life’ and was now a different person’ to the one he was two years ago.

He added: ‘I am satisfied you are rehabilitated in every way.’

Harvey was then spared immediate jail with him given a two-year prison sentence term suspended for two years and told to do 300 hours of unpaid work.

Harvey’s lawyer Paul Casey said at a previous hearing: ‘Custody is virtually inevitable in this case.’