A 26-year-old man has been spared jail for trying to deal drugs at Latitude music festival before he turned his life around and helped people with substance misuse problems.

Jack Mollicone received a suspended jail sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday for a number of drug offences at the Latitude festival, at Henham Park, in 2019.

Mollicone admitted one count of possession with intent to supply MDMA, or ecstasy, as well as possession of MDMA, LSD and cannabis, at an early hearing before magistrates on November 19.

The court heard how on-site security staff discovered a clear plastic bag containing pink pills outside a row of three tents at the festival on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Prosecutor Daniel Setter said two other people were found inside the tents and apprehended, but were let go after Mollicone was identified and took full responsibility for the pills and a number of other drugs discovered inside a khaki bag.

Altogether, Mollicone was found in possession of 20 bags of MDMA weighing a total 18.5g, another single amount of MDMA weighing 1.47g, 4.35g of cannabis and five LSD tabs.

Mr Setter told the court: "He was candid enough to fall on his sword and say the others had no knowledge or involvement.

"He admitted that he thought he could make a quick bit of money in selling the MDMA.

"He explained that he smoked cannabis every one or two nights and had used LSD, and said he had got the drugs from a man in Norfolk and thought he could get away with it."

Mollicone, a man of previous good character, from Spixworth, near Norwich, was said to have been "totally honest, upfront and genuinely remorseful" by his barrister, Andrew Oliver, adding: "He has never sought to minimise his involvement, and accepts he would have sold to his friendship group and other festival-goers had the opportunity arisen.

"He was equally honest in accepting he was blinded by his submersion into the party and rave scene, and became somewhat ambivalent about not only his own drug use, but drugs in general."

Mr Oliver said Mollicone had since changed his ways and was in full-time employment and due to study engineering, while also assisting a local charity dedicated to supporting young people affected by substance misuse.

Recorder Heather Rogers QC said Mollicone had made a "catastrophically stupid decision" but had since made many positive changes.

He was handed a 22-month custodial sentence, suspended for 15 months, and fined £450.