Sentences Issued to Two Men for Drug Supply Leading to Teenager’s Death

Custodial sentences have been imposed on two young men for their involvement in supplying ecstasy to a group of teenagers, which included a 16-year-old schoolgirl who subsequently died after collapsing at a nightclub. James Greaves, 19, from Hatt in Cornwall, received a sentence of three and a half years in a young offender institution. Taylor Rowsell, 18, of Rosebery Road in Exmouth, Devon, was given a two-year sentence. The death occurred in December 2022 when Lucy Hill, 16, collapsed at the Move nightclub on Exeter Quay after consuming MDMA. At the time of the offences, both Greaves and Rowsell were under the age of 18. They both entered guilty pleas at Exeter Crown Court to the charge of jointly supplying the drug. The court was informed that Greaves had emptied prescription pill capsules, refilled them with MDMA, and then resealed them. He then provided these tablets, which varied in size and colour, to Rowsell for £200. According to court proceedings, Rowsell had been contacted by a teenage girl requesting MDMA, but being unable to supply it himself, he contacted Greaves, who had established drug supply connections in Devon. Ms Hill and five companions traveled by taxi from her Exmouth residence to Exeter to attend the Move nightclub. After taking the pills, they all quickly became unwell and experienced dizziness. The court heard that they all “felt bad” on the dance floor before club staff escorted Ms Hill outside and contacted an ambulance. Police apprehended both Rowsell and Greaves the following morning. Judge James Adkin addressed the two teenagers, stating: “You were both active class A drug dealers.” He further commented that Rowsell’s actions were driven by “simple greed for money” which was “greater than your concern for any customer.” The judge remarked: “Rowsell was in business for himself. He was in it for money and status. The business had been going on for months. That night alone he sold 35 and intended to sell many more.” He continued: “He was selling to children, targeting youngsters at a nightclub where no alcohol was available, it was purely for children and was a dry evening.” Judge Adkin concluded: “Lucy Hill died because you sold her drugs, you sold her two tablets, despite the fact that you were concerned about the dosage.” He added: “It seems to me you were simply greedy, and your greed for money was greater than your concern for any customer.” Deborah Hill, Ms Hill’s mother, conveyed to the court that her daughter was “kind and caring” and that their “lives will never be the same again.” Her family referred to her as the “perfect angel.” Defence barristers representing both Greaves and Rowsell stated that Ms Hill’s death “weighs heavily” on them. Detective Inspector Sally Johns, of Devon and Cornwall Police, described Ms Hill as “not a routine drug user” but rather a “young girl embarking on life, looking forward to the future ahead of her.” She commented: “That evening an error of judgement in young minds, led to Lucy’s future being cut so tragically short. This could be the case for anyone’s child or young adult. We have seen that these substances can kill many times, and this is another tragic case.” Det Insp Johns urged: “I urge anyone considering taking drugs to think twice and reconsider.”