Judge wishes “naive” student who tried to smuggle drugs into Creamfields for boyfriend “good luck” with exams

A “naive” university student, who tried to smuggle a magic mushroom mix hidden in an Innocent Smoothie bottle into the Creamfields Festival for her then-boyfriend, ended up in court.

When they reached security, shortly after he asked her to hide them in her bra, Maria Boribon was asked if she had any drugs and promptly handed them over.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the package contained 159 LSD tabs and a bottle containing “prohibited mushrooms” in liquid in the smoothie bottle.

Boribon, aged 20, a science under-graduate, pleaded guilty to possessing LSD with intent and possession of Psilocybin on August 25, 2022 at Daresbury near Warrington.
Gerald Baxter, prosecuting, said that the student pleaded guilty to the LSD charge on the basis she was going to give it back

Rick Holland, defending, said that there had been no planning on the part of Boribon, of Old Town Street, Plymouth. “It was an impulsive response to the situation that presented itself.
“It smacks of behaviour not properly thought through. There is nil prospect of her coming back before a court.

“She feels shame, regret and disgrace,” he said, adding that her actions had put her academic career at risk.

References included one from her tutor which showed that the defendant, who has no previous convictions, was likely to be taken on to do her MSc and possibly a Phd. “She has an awful lot to offer,” said Mr Holland.
Imposing an 18 month community sentence with 250 hours unpaid work and a £50 fine, the judge, Recorder Graham Wells, said that she had known they were illegal drugs and that her then boyfriend intended to deal them, mainly just handing them over to friends.
He said that her companion had been her first boyfriend and she had been naive and immature and acted impulsively and out of character.

Recorder Wells said he took the view “It was a one-off piece of stupidity of the sort that perhaps all of us have come across before or even been involved in silliness like it.”
He told her “The court has been merciful. Please don’t let us ever see you again.” And he concluded by saying, “Good luck with your exams.”