Cannabis grower dies in prison
4:44pm Friday 23rd November 2007
Comments (13)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
winston matthews L:CA, Horley Surrey. says...
10:51pm Fri 23 Nov 07
May Albert Axton RIP my condolences to his family, Prohibition kills another person.
Unlike cannabis.
FlyinHigh, UK says...
10:48am Sat 24 Nov 07
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
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
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
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
DeltaPan, Hammersmith, London, West Europe, says...
4:32pm Sat 24 Nov 07
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
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 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
Paul Lawrenson.
Ian Harris, Dagenham, nr. London U.K says...
10:51pm Sun 25 Nov 07
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
Albert Axton arriving at Winchester Crown Court last September
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john-boi, Dorset says...
6:42pm Fri 23 Nov 07