A professional dancer, who starred in the video to

A professional dancer, who starred in the video to promote the last Sonique hit and various boy band promotional films, was jailed for two years today (Thurs) for peddling Ecstasy at London’s Heaven nightclub.

Despite making up to pnds stlng 600 a day when working, the 21-year-old fell
into debt and agreed to sell the pills as a one-off.

Wrongly pointed out as the supplier who sold a tablet that led to a young
clubber’s collapse, David Coffey was arrested as he tried to discard a cache
of the Class A drugs in the nightspot’s toilets in January.

However, police recovered two containers of the popular ‘Smint’ sweet –
discovering inside 22 Ecstasy tablets marked with a ‘Mitsubishi’ logo.

Coffey was searched and was found to have pnds stlng 180 in pnds stlng 10 notes – confessing he was selling the drug and had made pnds stlng 80 from the illicit trade.

At London’s Southwark Crown Court, Coffey, of Albany Road, Leyton, east London, admitted possession of Ecstasy with intent to supply on January 10 this year.

Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate Inigo Bing, sitting as a Recorder, said he ignored any ‘consequence’ that may have occurred to the unfortunate youngster who fell ill after taking the drug purchased in the club.

But he said: ‘Peddling in Class A drugs is a serious offence, not because of
what may have happened in this case – but because of the consequences
generally and the extreme addictive and dangerous nature of a drug such as
this.

‘

Miss Juliet Oliver, prosecuting, said three friends had gone to the club.

One purchased a tablet of Ecstasy – breaking it in half and sharing it with
another in the party.

About half an hour later the friends became ‘bored’, she said, and left Heaven – not least because one of the youngsters who had popped the drug was
complaining of stomach cramps.

He was to collapse a short time after and an ambulance was called, the 999
alarm also bringing police to the scene.

Miss Oliver said a girl – who had not taken the drug – agreed to return to
Heaven with undercover detectives and pointed out Coffey as the supplier.

Miss Nicola Merrick, defending, said her client denied being the person who
supplied the friends with Ecstasy.

‘He did not go to the club until after midnight, the friends were sold the
Ecstasy shortly after 10pm,’ she said.

‘Coffey is adamant he did not enter the club until midnight and would be caught on security camera doing so.

‘He does not go behind the fact he was selling Ecstasy, but denies he sold the particular tablet that made the boy ill.

‘

Miss Merrick said at the time Coffey had fallen into debt and was threatened
with eviction, agreeing to supply drugs for another on that particular night
to make some money.

‘Coffey likes nice clothes and likes to go out,’ she said, explaining his
spending habits.

‘He himself never touches drugs.

‘His latest achievement was appearing in the Soniq video and on Top of the Pops as a dancer.

He has also featured in boy band videos.

‘

Counsel added: ‘When working, he makes a great deal of money, pnds stlng 300 to pnds stlng 600 a day.

‘But he is young and stupid with money – that is why he gets into difficulties.

‘
ends