THE FORMER manager and DJ of the Dance Academy said the only

sure way to stop drugs being smuggled into the venue would have

been to “get everyone to strip naked at the front door”.

Tom Costelloe was responding in exasperation at Plymouth

Crown Court to cross examination by prosecuting barrister

Geoffrey Mercer, QC, who questioned him over his statement to

police about “fighting a losing battle”.

Costelloe, of Westminster Close, Honiton, said the comment

was about clubbers who would hide drugs such as ecstasy “where

you can't find it”.

He said: “That's a losing battle, is it not? What were we

expected to do? Get everyone to strip naked at the front

door?

“I'm just being honest with you – you can't stop people

taking drugs.”

When Mr Mercer replied “no-one is saying you can”, Costelloe

reiterated “well, that's what I'm saying”.

However, Mr Mercer suggested Costelloe and his co-defendants

– club-owner Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh and assistant manager Justin

Hayward – could have done a lot more to stop drugs entering the

venue, but did not, for fear of damaging door receipts.

Bahmanzadeh, 51, of Union Street, Costelloe, 37, and

Hayward, 26, of Limerick Place, St Judes, all deny allowing a

Class A drug to be sold in the Dance Academy.

Mr Mercer said: “You knew full well that if there had been a

clampdown on ecstasy the Dance Academy wouldn't have existed as

it did.”

Costelloe called the accusation “ridiculous”.

He accepted that ecstasy was often associated with the dance

music played at the club, but when asked by Judge Gilbert why

the club did not change the music, he claimed it was more

difficult than that, as there were many different genres of

dance music which the drug was associated with.

Judge Gilbert then joked that the club could have changed

the music to “Strictly Come Dancing or line dancing”.

Costelloe also admitted he had “never managed a venue like

that in my life” and, if asked by door staff for more security,

he would get it approved by his boss.

One witness, Richard Wright, who attended the club first as

a reveller before winning a DJ competition and later working at

the venue playing trance music, said Costelloe was very clear

about the “zero tolerance” policy.

He said: “At the very first meeting of the group of DJs

there, we were told by Tom of the drugs policy. Anyone found

with drugs would be treated like anyone else.

“It was zero tolerance and it applied to everyone – us and

the guest DJs. We were told to keep an eye out and let security

know”.

He also told the court that the club had a stricter drug

policy and more stringent security than many other dance clubs

he had visited across the country.

The trial continues.