NSW: Winston Churchill's great-grandson sentenced over drug bust

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2007
NSW: Winston Churchill's great-grandson sentenced over drug bust

The great-grandson of former British prime minister Sir WINSTON CHURCHILL has been
sentenced to at least 20 months jail .. for his part in a 15 million dollar ecstasy supply
operation in Sydney.

But NICHOLAS JAKE BARTON will be eligible for parole in February next year .. in time
to visit his terminally ill mother in the UK.

Judge COLIN CHARTERIS told Downing Centre District Court there had been an opportunity
to temper justice with mercy.

The court was told BARTON'S mother .. ARABELLA SPENCER CHURCHILL .. the granddaughter
of Sir WINSTON .. is expected to die from pancreatic cancer by April.







34 year old BARTON pleaded quilty earlier this year to taking part in supplying drugs
in June 2006.

But Judge CHARTERIS today found he had only a belated and limited role in the supply
of the drugs seized by police.

The court was told BARTON sublet a rental property to New Zealander REESE GERARD WOODGATE
in early June 2006 .. as he was living in Byron Bay and didn't plan to move to Sydney
for three months.

BARTON claimed when he first sub-let the property he did not know WOODGATE would involve
himself in the illegal drug trade.

But he admitted that when he did find out .. he didn't do anything to stop it .. and
became complicit.

Judge CHARTERIS found there was no evidence BARTON had made money and his guilty plea
.. despite the Crown's weak case .. indicated genuine contrition.

He'll be eligible for parole on February 16 .. and Judge CHARTERIS said he should then
be granted permission to leave the country to visit his dying mother.

AAP RTV jcd/hn/bart

KEYWORD: BARTON (SYDNEY)

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