A MAN who was caught by security taking cocaine in a dance tent at Creamfields Festival has avoided jail.

Matthew Kerr, of Hawkshead Close in Stalybridge, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday after attending the dance festival in August 2018.

Simon Mintz, prosecuting, told Chester Crown Court on Wednesday how Kerr, now aged 26, was spotted by a member of security sniffing a drug from a spoon in one of the dance tents.

He was escorted from the site and questioned by police.

Kerr said the £60 of cocaine was for his own use but he was charged with two counts of possession of class A and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

However, a jury acquitted Kerr of the supply charge.

Kerr has one previous conviction for battery from November 2016.

Christopher MacGregor, defending, told the court that it was a 'small amount of cocaine' for his personal use and Kerr has no previous drug convictions.

He told the judge how Kerr had been in a bad bike accident in November and broke his pelvis in three places.

This meant he is still unable to work or carry out unpaid work.

Judge Steven Everett, said: "We get a lot of cases each year like this from Creamfields. Someone died last year, these are dangerous drugs.

"People should be able to go to these festivals without having people next to them like you taking drugs.

"You are poisoning your own body, medical evidence shows that people's noses cave in after taking so much cocaine so goodness knows what it is doing to your insides.

"You are spending money to abuse yourself."

Kerr was given a 12-month conditional discharge and made to pay a £106 fine