An Australian plumber spiralled into a ‘hedonistic’ lifestyle after a $22million Powerball win at just 22, culminating in his arrest on drugs and weapons charges three years later.
Police raided Joshua Winslet’s home in 2020 and charged him with supplying MDMA and possession of an unlicensed firearm after finding a Mauser handgun and ammunition hidden in his bathroom.
Although Winslet’s parents managed his $22million lottery winnings through a trust fund, he accessed enough money to fund a dangerous downward spiral.
Police raided Joshua Winslet’s Adelaide home in 2020 and charged him with supplying MDMA and possession of an unlicensed firearm (Pictured, a bowl of white powder in the plumber’s fridge)
SA police found a Mauser handgun and ammunition hidden in the roof of Winslet’s bathroom, apparently put there by one of his ‘so-called’ friends
Although Winslet’s parents managed his $22million lottery winnings through a trust fund he accessed enough money to fund a dangerous downward spiral (Pictured, the framed photo of Winslet’s winning 2017 entry)
He quit work and bought properties in South Australia and New Zealand before becoming ‘hopelessly addicted’ to drugs, SA’s District Court heard.
Winslet’s story will go down as one of the most epic Australian lottery disasters, joining a long line of people who struck it rich before debauchery or greed brought their world tumbling down.
The court released photos of Winslet’s trashed ‘party house’ showing bagged MDMA, cocaine and marijuana, several large bongs and countless empty drink bottles and cans, reported.
Among the photos was a framed congratulations from the lottery agency featuring Winslet’s winning 2017 Powerball entry.
Josh Winslet pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence
The court released photos of Winslet’s trashed ‘party house’ showing countless nangs (nitrous oxide bulbs) laying on a marble tabled beside cigarettes, bottles of spirits, soft drink cans, half-drunk glasses of wine and candles
In another room rubbish and clothes strewn on a floor beside an electronic drum kit and floor-to-ceiling projector screen
One photo showed the contents of his fridge included a soup bowl filled with white power and a pack of Red Bull cans
In the August 2020 raid on his New Port home, SA police seized 28.3 grams of MDMA between a safe and his wardrobe, 2.27g of cocaine, marijuana, the pistol and ammunition.
The photos showed his Adelaide home in ‘appalling’ state, with nangs (nitrous oxide bulbs) laying on a marble tabled beside cigarettes, a bong, bottles of spirits, half-drunk glasses of wine and candles.
Police photos showed the state of Winslet’s party house, including tables crammed with beer bottles, soft drink can and bongs
Police released photos of the drugs seized, including a total of 28.3 grams of MDMA
Police also seized cocaine in the raid of his New Port, Adelaide home in 2020
In another room, rubbish and 파워볼검증사이트 clothes were strewn on a floor beside an electronic drum kit and floor-to-ceiling projector screen.
Elsewhere, the homes floors were filthy, and beds were left unmade as garbage, including empty soft drink cans and takeaway food containers accumulated in every room.
The court heard sudden wealth turned him into ‘a free ride’ for other drug users who were allowed to ‘run amok’ in his home.
Judge Heath Barklay said Winslet ‘lost motivation’ for life and preferred a ‘hedonistic lifestyle’ slipped into regular drug use after his win.
‘Because of the money that you had won, there was no motivation on your part to work or do anything other than enjoy yourself,’ he said.
‘You had lots of money so you could afford to buy large amounts of drugs, which you would use yourself and supply to your so-called friends from time to time.’
Elsewhere, the homes floors were filthy and beds were left unmade as garbage including empty soft drink cans and takeaway food containers accumulated in every room
Photos released by the District Court in Adelaide showed the ‘appalling’ state of plumber-turned drug dealer Josh Winslet’s home
One ‘friend’ stored a firearm and bullets in his roof, which Judge Barklay said the placement in a home where heavy drug use was normal increased the chances the weapon would be used for ‘an unlawful purpose’.
The court heard Winslet’s arrest was ‘a wake up call’ and that he had pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence.
Now 27, Winslet was sentenced Winslet to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18-months.
The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.
<div class="art-ins mol-factbox news" data-version="2" id="mol-95f8db40-3d47-11ed-9864-7b3d067be439" website tradie who won Powerball goes on a massive drug bender
