Youths jailed for supplying fatal ecstasy pill to girl aged 15

TWO teenagers who gave a 15-year-old girl an ecstasy tablet that killed her have been jailed as a judge told them “drugs destroy lives”.

Mitchell Southern, 19, bought the MDMA crystals from 18-year-old dealer Connor Kirkwood and gave them to Leah Heyes, a court heard.

She collapsed and died after taking the class A drug in a car park in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, in May 2019.

Giving the pair an immediate custodial sentence, Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “Leah was just 15 years old, she had everything to live for, the excitement rightfully held by young people in anticipation of their futures.

“It has become fashionable, particularly amongst the youths who perhaps have that perception because they are young that they are indestructible, that drugs don’t do any harm and add excitement to life.

“But this case is here to remind anybody who might think that, that drugs destroy lives.

“They take away young people’s lives and destroy your lives and your futures as now convicted drugs dealers.”

He sentenced Southern to 12 months in a young offender institution saying that although he did not make money from supplying the drugs, he had been “basking in the bravado”.

Kirkwood was sentenced to 21 months in a young offender institution in the case held at Teesside Crown Court.

Judge Carroll told him, although he was exploited by other criminals, “you went into this with your eyes wide open. It was stupid, it was immature, but you knew what you were about”.