A starting point of 2 years imprisonment for supply of 24 ecstasy tablets (7.1g MDMA) at a music festival was excessive where the offender was young, had no significant criminal history, cooperated with police, pleaded guilty early, showed genuine contrition, and there was no finding of financial motivation. The appropriate starting point was 12 months. A sentencing judge is not bound to accept an offender's uncorroborated, self-serving evidence about intended personal use and non-commercial distribution of drugs, even where that evidence is uncontradicted.
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