Care home worker caught smuggling drugs into festival walks free

A 20-year-old care worker who tried to smuggle £6,500 worth of drugs into Creamfields festival was spared jail after claiming her 'manipulative' boyfriend made her do it.

Mia Jensen faced three years behind bars after she got caught trying to sneak MDMA, ketamine and cocaine into the Cheshire festival via its staff entrance.

She was given a  suspended sentence after telling Chester Crown Court she became 'chronically' addicted to ketamine in the six years since she started dating her boyfriend age 13.   

Jensen claimed the man - named only as Gary - told her to take the drugs in and promised she would not be searched at the staff gate.

She attempted to smuggle the drugs into the Daresbury venue inside chewing gum tubs, after being turned away she 'panicked' and, not seeing any amnesty bins, went to the main entrance knowing she would be caught red handed.

After officers with a sniffer dog caught Jensen on August 23, 2023, police examined her phone and found an Instagram message she sent to Gary saying: 'this ket thing bad now' to which he responded 'Ano u fully need to stop.'

Investigators said there were 29 snap bags of Ketamine worth £2,280, 175 pink Ecstasy tablets and other MDMA worth £2,450 and 36 knotted plastic packages of cocaine worth £1800 inside Jensen's bag. 

On her phone, police found messages relating to the supply of ketamine to an account in the name of gary.a23. One message asked for '4nalf 550 and 9s quids' which is believed to relate to 4 and a half ounces and 9 ounces of ketamine. 

The couple had gone to the dance festival so Gary, who Jensen met when she was in her second year at an all girls high school, could sell drugs to other revellers for up to £15,000.

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Jensen directed police to messages on her phone which she said would show them he encouraged her to smuggle the drugs in and added that she thought she had only been carrying ketamine and cannabis - rather than any class A drugs, court heard.

The care home worker - who lives with her grandparents in Knotty Ash, Liverpool - admitted possessing class A drugs with intent to supply. 

Miss Shannon Stewart prosecuting said: 'The basis of plea outlines that the defendant had a chronic addiction to ketamine and was in a relationship with Gary who was also a drug user. 

'She asserts she did not pay for the drugs he provided and on the day of the incident he told her to take the drugs into the festival and she felt obliged.

'In regard to the messages, she maintains the messages relating to dealing drugs are from Gary's Instagram which was logged into her phone and she never sent messages offering to sell drugs. She intended to return the drugs to Gary once inside the festival.'

In mitigation for Jensen who had no previous convictions, defence counsel Miss Zara Baqri said: 'She performed a limited function under direction because she was simply controlled by her drug dealing partner Gary.

'It is clear that she demonstrated a great deal of immaturity. There is no suggestion that she expected a financial gain from this, perhaps further favours of being provided with drugs that she was addicted to at that time. It is clear that he was a drug dealer.'

Jensen was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity as well as six months of drug rehabilitation and mental health treatment. 

Referring to her client's habit, Miss Baqri added: 'She commenced when she was 13 years old and it is of no coincidence that she met her now ex-partner at 13. 

'He was a manipulative partner and slowly but surely her dependency increased and it is clear the relationship was toxic. While in that relationship she was obsessed with him. She felt that she had to do everything that he asked of her.

'During the course of the relationship he provided drugs for her. Gary instructed Miss Jensen to take the drugs to the festival and he told her to go via the staff entrance. Once on site, she was instructed to hand those parcels or boxes to him. She agreed - it was naive optimism, perhaps.

'But to pass through the staff entrance it is necessary for individuals to have a security bracelet but she did not have one. The door staff told her to go through the main entrance and knowing she had drugs on her she looked for an amnesty bin.

'Before she could get to an amnesty bin, the drug dogs alerted security staff. She was under the influence at the time and the text messages show she was clearly struggling with addiction, it was out of control. 

'She is now clean of drugs and has been for some time.'

Sentencing Jensen, Judge Steven Everett told her: 'For about six years you were put upon by your boyfriend who undoubtedly controlled you and got you into this terrible mess where you were using drugs. When you went into Creamfields he had effectively coerced you into taking those drugs.

'I do not accept for a second that you believed that there was cannabis in those little tubs. You believed that the there were important drugs with a chance for a significant profit. 

'However I do find you are a vulnerable person. You were certainly affected by what your boyfriend told you to do. You have never been in trouble before, your young age is a truly significant factor.

'You have your chance - and this is your real chance. A chance to make something of yourself. I do not believe for a second that you are a lost cause.'