Darren Partington, who has been in the band since 1989, turned to dealing after running into trouble over an unpaid debt

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A DJ from Manchester dance pioneers 808 State has been jailed for 18 months after he was found guilty of selling crack cocaine and heroin.

Darren Partington ran into financial difficulties regarding his recreational drug use. According to texts found on the musician’s phone, he had been receiving threats from his dealer over an unpaid £300 debt.

Manchester Crown Court heard that 45 year-old Partington, from Manchester, had been a long-term user of recreational drugs. He’d faced threats against himself and his family which had led to him working for his dealer.

He was arrested in July 2014 by police, who found 16 wraps of heroin and eight wraps of crack cocaine in his possession, reportedly with a street value of £300. Partington later admitted to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

808 State formed in 1987 and became seminal figures on the UK acid house scene. Their track Pacific State was a crossover hit in 1989, reaching the top 10. The band went on to release a string of albums, including 1991’s Ex:el which reached No 4 in the UK charts.



Despite the band’s success, Partington was said to be making as little as £7,000 a year from DJing when he was arrested.



On sentencing Partington, recorder Peter Cowan said: “Whatever the fear you had for your family you should have been man enough, at your age, to resist. Instead you chose to peddle drugs, which cause misery to people and a cycle of crime.”

