Home and Away actor Putu Sugiarta Winchester-Stanton will not go to jail for dealing cocaine
- Home and Away star isn’t going to jail
- Putu Winchester-Stanton trafficked in cocaine
A former Home and Away star was ‘absolutely thrilled’ to hear he won’t be going to jail for dealing cocaine in the idyllic Byron Bay area.
Putu Sugiarta Winchester-Stanton appeared in the NSW District Court on Wednesday to learn his fate after pleading guilty to supplying 476 grams of cocaine in coastal NSW.
Court documents reveal the 46-year-old supplied the illicit drug to buyers in the Mullumbimby regional area between January 21 and April 22, 2021.
He was arrested after police carried out a series of raids to disrupt the supply of cocaine in the hinterland.
Police discovered that the former Heartbreak High actor was part of a local drug syndicate that he used for his own financial gain.
A former Home and Away star was ‘absolutely thrilled’ to hear he won’t go to jail for dealing cocaine in the idyllic Byron Bay area
Putu Sugiarta Winchester-Stanton appeared in the NSW District Court on Wednesday to learn his fate after pleading guilty to supplying 476 grams of cocaine in coastal NSW
Agents busted the drug ring using wiretaps, surveillance and controlled drug exchanges with undercover officers.
Court documents show Winchester-Stanton has a history of drug-related cases and was considered a “significant flight risk” when he applied for bail.
Judge Timothy Gartelmann was scheduled to sentence the former minor movie star on Wednesday, but instead adjourned the case to obtain a sentencing assessment report.
The report will inform the court whether Winchester-Stanton is eligible for community service as part of his non-custodial sentence.
“I can confidently say that whatever the sentence, he will not return to full custody,” Judge Gartelmann announced.
The former actor, who wore a black suit and crisp white shirt, grinned and visibly slumped in relief at the proclamation.
He was supported in the courtroom by several friends who stood around him and hugged him tightly.
The judge noted that a “fierce phalanx of people” had “made some effort to travel some distance” to appear in court to support Winchester-Stanton.
“Some of your worries about what might happen to your friend will have disappeared after what I had to say,” he told the actor’s gathered friends.
Agents busted the drug ring using wiretaps, surveillance and controlled drug exchanges with undercover officers
He was supported in the courtroom by several friends who stood around him and hugged him tightly
The judge noted that an “honest phalanx of people” had “made some effort to travel some distance” to appear in court to support Winchester-Stanton
Outside court, Winchester-Stanton said he was “absolutely thrilled” when he heard he would not be going to jail.
“It certainly feels like a huge weight has been lifted,” he said.
Former Home and Away and Heartbreak High star Putu Winchester-Stanton said he is ‘absolutely thrilled’ to hear he will not be going to jail after admitting to dealing drugs in the idyllic Byron Bay area.
The 46-year-old said he focused on living a “much healthier and more positive lifestyle” after being busted for drug dealing.
“I learned how to change my life path by thinking positively,” he told reporters.
Judge Gartelmann will consider six related charges of drug supply and possession when he sentences Winchester-Stanton in November.
The Indonesian-born actor rose to fame when he was just 18 years old after starring in the hit Australian show Heartbreak High.
He won hearts across the country when he played class clown Dennis Klinsmann from 1997 to 1999.
The heartthrob then starred in the long-running series Home and Away in 2000, when he also had a role in the gritty TV show Water Rats.
His most recent acting role was in the indie arthouse film Hell is Light, which was released in 2018 to critical acclaim.
Judge Gartelmann will consider six related charges of drug supply and possession when he sentences Winchester-Stanton in November