A CREAMFIELDS drug dealer has been jailed for three years after trying to claim the 22 ecstasy pills he was found with were just for him.

Judge Nicholas Woodward said he did not believe Stephen Hanson was telling the truth after he had changed his story a number of times.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Wednesday the 26-year-old from Kent had been caught on the final day of the festival in Daresbury last year with the class A drug worth a street value of £440.

He was also carrying a phone with names and sums of cash owed to him ranging from £20 to £700 which police claimed was a drug dealers list but Hanson said was a list of people that owed him money after nights out.

John Hedgecoe, prosecuting, said Hanson attempted to enter the festival at 6.15pm ahead of an 11pm closing time and handed over the drugs before he could be searched.

He told police the pills were for himself and would have given some to friends if he had any left but officers described it an ‘excessive amount’ for one person on one night.

Hanson held his head in his hands and wiped away a tear as Judge Woodward listed all the occasions where Hanson’s evidence had been inconsistent including where he had bought the drugs and claiming he could not remember what the letters ‘MB’ meant after a number of the names on his debt list which totalled £3,575.

Damian Nolan, defending, said Hanson had no previous convictions and was a hard-working man of previous good character.

He added: “The defendant suffered a number of personal issues but has now been forced to address his drug addiction and will be a dad next month.”

Judge Woodward said possession of a class A drug with intent to supply was always a serious offence but it was an aggravating feature it had happened at Creamfields.

He added: “You’re a person of excellent character but unfortunately your life has been blighted by drug issues you have now got under control.”

SPEAKING after the sentencing, DS Peter Kidd said: “Hanson is one of many who are currently facing the consequences of thinking Cheshire is a soft target for drug use and drug dealing.

“A dedicated team of officers worked hard at last year’s Creamfields music festival to ensure that anyone who was thinking about bringing drugs into the event was stopped in their tracks.

“We will continue to ensure visitors to Creamfields have a safe and enjoyable time and we will continue to target those who think they can take or illegal drugs at events such as this.”