Two teenage drug dealers have been sentenced for selling MDMA to a 16-year-old girl who died after taking the drug.
Lucy Hill, from Exmouth, Devon, collapsed and died at Move nightclub on Exeter Quay in December 2022 after taking MDMA sold to her by two ‘greedy’ drug dealers, a judge said.
Taylor Rowsell, 18, had been selling MDMA tablets at the young persons’ night club event where there was no alcohol permitted, Exeter Crown Court heard on Monday.
James Greaves, 19, supplied Rowsell with the tablets – also known as ecstasy – despite expressing concerns about the dosage in the tablets.
Rowsell made £350 selling MDMA to children, including Lucy and her friends, that night in December 2022.
Rowsell and Greaves, who were 16 and 17 at the time, had previously admitted to being involved in the supply of class A drugs.
Judge James Adkin handed Greaves a three-and-a-half year sentence in a young offenders institution, with Rowsell given a two-year sentence.
The judge said: ‘Your involvement was through immaturity, yes, to an extent, but you threw yourself into a drug dealing business for the status and money.
‘This was not a one-off, you had been dealing for months, you sold to children.
‘Lucy Hill died because you sold her drugs, you sold her two tablets despite the fact that you were concerned about the dosage.
‘It seems to me you were simply greedy, and your greed for money was greater than your concern for any customer.’
He added that Greaves played a ‘leading role’ in the ‘organising, buying and selling (of drugs) on a commercial scale’ and that he knew Rowsell was selling to children.
Lucy’s mother, Debbie Hill, described the loss of her daughter as ‘devastating’ in her victim’s personal statement.
She said: ‘Our lives have now completely changed forever. We’ve lost our beautiful little girl.
‘It’s just devastating for us all, for Chloe, her sister, her dad, Chris.
‘What has happened has left the biggest hole in my heart that I know will never heal.
‘Lucy was the most kind and caring person, and so sweet-natured. I cling onto memories of her.
‘I will never be able to give her a hug again, never ask her how her day’s been, how school was that day. Everything’s just been taken away from us and I can never more be part of her life.’
Senior Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Sally Johns, said that Lucy was not a ‘routine drug user.’
‘That evening an error of judgement in young minds led to Lucy’s future being cut short. This could be the case for anyone’s child or young adult.
‘We have seen that these substances can kill many times, and this is another tragic case.
‘You don’t know what illegal drugs contain or what reaction you may have to them – but it could be fatal. I urge anyone considering taking drugs to think twice and reconsider.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
