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Cannabis grower dies in prison

4:44pm Friday 23rd November 2007

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ONE of the oldest convicted cannabis growers died in prison following a row about food, an inquest heard.

Albert Axton, 71, from South Gorley in the New Forest, who suffered from heart disease, collapsed in a meeting with wing representatives and prison staff at Winchester prison.

In September 2006, Mr Axton was sentenced to 18 months in prison after a jury convicted him of cultivating and conspiracy to supply cannabis. The judge at the time said a three-year sentence would have been appropriate but he was taking into account the defendant's poor health and previous good character.

The inquest in Winchester heard that Mr Axton had suffered a series of health problems. He had undergone a double heart bypass and had bad arthritis in his right ankle.

He had become excited and animated during the meeting before suddenly slumping sideways in his seat.

Dr Adnan Al-Badri, consultant pathologist at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, carried out the post mortem examination on Mr Axton.

Dr Al-Badri said that Mr Axton was obese, had an enlarged heart and there was also evidence of previous heart attacks.

Dr Al-Badri also said that despite Mr Axton having a double heart bypass, the arteries that had been replaced had once again become blocked.

"From what I heard Mr Axton became excited and the state of his heart was really very poor and he could have died at any time, for example from exercise, but getting stressed exacerbated his condition," said Dr Al-Badri, who said in his opinion cause of death was due to heart disease.

The inquest jury returned a verdict of death by natural causes.


Your Say YourSalisbury Journal

john-boi, Dorset says...
6:42pm Fri 23 Nov 07

What a disgrace this country is. A non violent cannabis grower,cannabis what by a Governments own report is less harmful than alcohol.That my tax is wasted on criminalising otherwise law abiding citizens and which probably contributed to his early death we as a country persuing the failed policy of prohibtion we should be ashamed.

winston matthews L:CA, Horley Surrey. says...
10:51pm Fri 23 Nov 07

About time we changed these laws on cannabis.
May Albert Axton RIP my condolences to his family, Prohibition kills another person.

Unlike cannabis.

FlyinHigh, UK says...
10:48am Sat 24 Nov 07

This is so wrong!

A 71 year old man who had serious health problems. A man who was of previous good character, who caused no harm to any other person was sentenced to 18 months in prison for growing some plants which were most likely to be used to ease the pain of his bad arthritis.

Whilst this ill man who had hurt no-one was locked away, there were hundreds of criminals walking the streets waiting for their victim to come along and are probably still doing so.

The law in regards to cannabis, is inhumane and unjust. This is only one of many cases which prove it's not cannabis that's dangerous, it's prohibition.

Prohibition resulted in this man spending his last days in prison when he should have been tending his garden.

RIP Albert, you certainly won't be punished for planting the healing seeds of nature up there.

Alun Buffry, Norwich says...
12:44pm Sat 24 Nov 07

My condolences to the family of Albert Axton.

It is atrocious that Albert was ever sent to prison for a so-called crime of growing a plant, whether for himself or others, and such a beneficial plant at that.

Many people use cannabis to their benefit, a few seem to suffer from its use, but users are not victims of crime, they are willing participants who have chosen to ignore a totally unjust law.

Another sad day for British Justice!

ingo, norwich says...
12:52pm Sat 24 Nov 07

Another victim of the expensive prohibition. After ten years of UN plan of eradicating all drugs, the signature countries have failed, indeed they succeeded in spreading drugs ever further. There is no harm reduction without legalisation! and my sincere condolences go out to his family, may Alberts tortured soul find rest in his next place.
To this Government'stop criminalising our future tax and pension contributors, stop throwing ill people who's crime had no victims into prison. No wonder when there are no places in prison for serious criminals, they are full of single mums for non payment of their BBC license fee and people like Albert. Nolabour = new fascism. Ingo

dharmabum, says...
1:34pm Sat 24 Nov 07

The government lies on all kinds of issues. Weapons of mass destruction anyone? The "evils" of cannabis?
RIP Albert and condolences to his family. What did he do that was so wrong? What did he do to deserve being removed from society and taken away from his family? A cruel and unnecessary conviction. The government lies, and peaceful innocent men and women suffer for the fear mongering economically fixated agenda of politicians and judges. The biggest bunch of hypocrites and liars out there. Whom - dear reader - would a sensible society be better to incarcerate? A man growing plants or a man dropping bombs?

Mark Palmer, Norwich says...
1:41pm Sat 24 Nov 07

It's disgusting, that a seventy one year old man should be persecuted to the end of his days, for a 'crime' with no victim. Rest In Peace Albert.

DeltaPan, Hammersmith, London, West Europe, says...
4:32pm Sat 24 Nov 07

This is a terrible outcome of the persecution towards those who use and grow Cannabis in preference to dangerous drugs like Alcohol. This should be seen as a strong reason why the government should stop causing the arrest and incarceration of individuals for doing nothing else but producing a herb which is medicinal and improves the quality of life in so many, does not kill those who use it but is in fact a positive factor in every way shape and form.

This man had not harmed anybody, had not caused suffering or deprived other of possesions or anything that is actually criminal but treated as though he was the worst kind of person and a danger to society by the courts and jailed.

now he has passed because of being jailed, for the coroner to simply say he died from natural causes is utter piffle and rot.

One begs the question if he would have been so stressed it would cause his heart to fail had he not been so harshly treated by the courts and jailed.

Somehow methinks not, he would have been among those he loved and love him, at peace in his own environ and at peace aided by the Cannabis herb and it's qualities and would have lived a lot longer, at least he would have passed among his family and those he loved and who loved him not in a prison.

He has died through incarceration because of an unjust prohibition of Cannabis, 3 months before he was due to be released.

He was killed by the courts and the legislators, not natural causes!

How would they feel about this if they were to see this for what it is and not hide behind a self righteous shroud of denial, saying they were only acting according to the law.

If they admitted that they could have and should have treated this man with respect and leniency and not incarcerated, if they had to penalise him at all.

They would see that their application of law actually killed this man, they killed this man!

The gods guide his soul.

My commiserations to all his family and loved ones.

Lezley, cumbria says...
6:33pm Sat 24 Nov 07

WHY ?
I do NOT understand why our government continue to torture ill and dying people for using cannabis !!!
Albert was NOT a danger to anyone ?! why was he in jail ? !
Another life lost to cannabis prohibition,
how many more ?
when will they listen ?
How can they be so heartless ?
My heart goes out to Alberts family,
Blessed Be All )O(
(and it harm none?)

John B. Pope, Tisbury says...
12:59am Sun 25 Nov 07

I know nothing of this matter other than is reported here. Maybe there are other factors that had to be taken into consideration. However on the face of this reporting the judicial sentence would seem to be totally disproportionate to the Crime. Every day one reads of Violence and Robbery and Murder on our streets, and the perpertrators taken to Court seem ' to get away with it' when it comes to sentencing.

I would like to make a further comment, concerning those which preceeded this one. If one has something to say on any issue, there is no call to hide behind pseudonyms. What is the point of so doing? The Reader imagines the worst about one.

DeltaPan, Hammersmith, London, West Europe, says...
11:24am Sun 25 Nov 07

'Tis nay an intention to hide when using a pseudonym, i stand by what i say, i just do not really think it relevant though.

Paul Lawrenson.

Ian Harris, Dagenham, nr. London U.K says...
10:51pm Sun 25 Nov 07

Condolences to Mr. Albert Axton's family & friends, for he was a just man who sought to numb his suffering, through the cannabis herb.

Mr. Axton is another victim of 'the war on drugs' , this is totally clear to many of us who have for one reason or another, studied the drug-policies passed over the last 30 -40 years.

I would urge any person whom believes that the public interest was served, by the imprisonment of Mr. Albert Axton to look at the 'SocialReality' of the drug laws which are enforched upon us.
Again, a man dies because of 'dis-proportionate sentencing in the U.K.
We are speedily taking on 'failed' american drug policies, based on myths,rumours and plain 'untruths'.

Albert Axton, will be remembered and will go down in writings as a 'victim of the war on drugs', by such people who study and write about the injustices', and the down-right stupidity and hypocrisy espouted by the parliamentarians within our european governments.
The politicians have lost the morale highground they so eloquently claim by the
'reality' of social suffering we see about us.
Rest in Peace Mr. Albert Axton
71, from South Gorley in the New Forest.

Ian Harris (Mr.)
Dagenham



Andrew, Salisbury says...
2:51pm Wed 20 Feb 08

Mr George Axton was convicted with two others for growing 400 plants...doesn't sound like personal therapeutic use to me!

Comments are closed on this article.

CONVICTED: Albert Axton is pictured arriving at Winchester Crown Court last September Albert Axton arriving at Winchester Crown Court last September

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