A ROW over inconsistent sentencing erupted last night after a judge sentenced a first-time offender to three years in jail.

Judge Mr Justice Bennett, sitting in London's High Court, handed a three-year jail sentence to Ecstasy dealer Christopher Proud, who was caught with 41 tablets of the drug in Newcastle nightclub Icon.

The 22-year-old claimed the drugs were planted on him, but was jailed, despite it being his first offence.

The sentence followed the case of a 17-year-old Sunderland youth who walked free from court earlier this week without a fine after being caught by a doorman at Newcastle University attempting to supply ecstasy.

He was caught with 26 tablets and was also committing his first offence.

Last night, Norman Brennan, of the Victims of Crime Trust, said: "There is no consistency when you have a judge sending a clear message that the criminal justice system will not accept drug dealing.

"Then on the other hand you have someone committing an almost identical offence who gets a rehabilitation order and a slap on the wrists."

Helgi Brown, from Stockton, whose teenage daughter Lilli died after overdosing on heroin, said the inconsistency "stank".

She said: "I have no faith in the justice system at all."

Passing sentence on Pound, Mr Justice Bennett described the three-year term as "severe".

But he said: "Supplying ecstasy is all too common. For some users, taking ecstasy can result in harm, serious harm, or even death.

"The message has got to go out that supplying ecstasy will be dealt with severely, even for a young man of hitherto good character. You will serve a term of three years imprisonment."

Proud, of Cowgate, Newcastle, was caught by bouncers in the Icon nightclub on September 22 last year.

He was convicted of possessing the drug with intent to supply at Newcastle Crown Court on July 29 this year, and sentencing was deferred until yesterday.

Nicholas Cartmell, for Proud, said: "This was a first and foolish venture into this type of activity. There had been no actual sales of the drug. This was a foolish aberration on his part.