Drug charge student faces jail - but will do his exams first (From Daily Echo)
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Drug charge student Alex Pearson faces jail - but will do his exams first
4:00am Thursday 24th January 2013 in Eastleigh
By John Hoskins, Court Reporter
Alex Pearson
A STUDENT arrested for possessing thousands of pounds worth of drugs following the death of a trainee doctor has been warned he could go to prison.
But Alex Pearson will not be sentenced until June – to give him time to do his university exams.
The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing ecstasy and cannabis with intent to supply and possessing methoxetamine, which had a total value of about £2,000.
He was arrested by police when 19-year-old Doug Ferguson died after becoming ill at a house in Chandler’s Ford last summer.
Doug, a former student at Peter Symonds College in Winchester and Thornden School in Chandler’s Ford, was in his first year at Bristol university where he was studying medicine when he died.
Initial post mortem results to discover how he died proved inconclusive.
His family described him as a “fun-loving, popular young man who liked to live life to the full”.
Dozens of Doug’s friends gathered at Hiltingbury Recreation Ground in the aftermath of his death to light candles and release Chinese lanterns in his memory.
Flowers and messages were left at the skate park, a favourite haunt of the student, and notes were also written on the ramps.
Recorder Nigel Lickley QC said the circumstances in the case involving Pearson were “tragic”.
But Mark Ashley, defending, stressed the charges had no link with the death.
He urged the court to adjourn sentencing until after Pearson, who is in his final year at university, sat his exams in May.
Mr Ashley explained: “There is a good chance he will come out with a 2:1 and there is more chance of him keeping on the straight and narrow with that under his belt rather than having wasted two and a half years.”
The judge granted his application and told Pearson he would be sentenced on June 7, extending his bail with the warning that all options, including prison, were open.
As previously reported by the Daily Echo, an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is under way because officers were in contact with Doug, of Cranford Gardens, Chandler’s Ford, shortly before he died.
The IPCC last night confirmed that the enquiry is ongoing and the findings will be shared with Doug’s family when it is complete.
The Mid-Hampshire coroner, based at Winchester, said no date will be set for the inquest into Doug’s death until the results of the investigation are known.
Comments(23)
8089
says...
9:19am Thu 24 Jan 13
Sacrificing his exams to go to prison should be part of his punishment!!
If I ever go to prison (I won't) I hope I get the chance to do a few things I need to get done first!!! RIDICULOUS!
davel_cats
says...
9:51am Thu 24 Jan 13
As for not being sentenced until he completes his exams, I can see why someone would want to complete their exams, but it does seem to be stretching the limits of justice: if he has been found guilty, then he needs to face the consequences.
elvisimo
says...
10:07am Thu 24 Jan 13
davel_cats wrote:maybe but I tend to agree with getting the exams out of the way first. He will be punished but there seems little point in allowing the punshment rolling on and affecting the rest of their life
This may be premature pending any final conclusions as to the death of "Doug" who died, but describing someone in their first year of university studying towards a medical degree as a "trainee doctor" is rather stretching the truth. As for not being sentenced until he completes his exams, I can see why someone would want to complete their exams, but it does seem to be stretching the limits of justice: if he has been found guilty, then he needs to face the consequences.
Here, There
says...
10:13am Thu 24 Jan 13
bazzeroz
says...
11:14am Thu 24 Jan 13
davel_cats
says...
11:15am Thu 24 Jan 13
elvisimo wrote:Yes, I agree with other comments that I can see why he would want to complete his exams. It is too bad there is no way of tying in his using the exam results to better himself to his jail sentence. That is, if he were to get his life back on track and get a job rather than be another scrounger, that could be used to affect the length of his sentence. But the system is complex enough already.
davel_cats wrote: This may be premature pending any final conclusions as to the death of "Doug" who died, but describing someone in their first year of university studying towards a medical degree as a "trainee doctor" is rather stretching the truth. As for not being sentenced until he completes his exams, I can see why someone would want to complete their exams, but it does seem to be stretching the limits of justice: if he has been found guilty, then he needs to face the consequences.maybe but I tend to agree with getting the exams out of the way first. He will be punished but there seems little point in allowing the punshment rolling on and affecting the rest of their life
cliffwalker
says...
12:39pm Thu 24 Jan 13
bazzeroz wrote:How often do we have to read postings by people who have not read and/or understood the news item?
...........and, he'll be in a position to steal drugs should he become a doctor. Ridiculous! Will a criminal conviction not stop him being a doctor? or is there one rule for him and another for everyone else?
dly397
says...
12:44pm Thu 24 Jan 13
bazzeroz wrote:There's nothing in the report to suggest that he's studying to be a doctor - that was the poor chap who died. You can't qualify as a doctor at the age of 20/21
...........and, he'll be in a position to steal drugs should he become a doctor. Ridiculous! Will a criminal conviction not stop him being a doctor? or is there one rule for him and another for everyone else?
espanuel
says...
12:57pm Thu 24 Jan 13
espanuel
says...
12:59pm Thu 24 Jan 13
kingnotail
says...
2:17pm Thu 24 Jan 13
aprilfool04
says...
2:36pm Thu 24 Jan 13
pperson
says...
3:27pm Thu 24 Jan 13
i think it's positive that he's allowed to take his exams - this way he might stand a chance of being rehabilitated when he's released!!
also, he isn't to be blamed for Doug's death - Doug wasn't forced to take the drugs, it was his choice. it wasn't like he overdosed, he had a bad reaction which no one could have predicted. it was just a terrible accident. Alex should have to learn the hard way that you can't sell drugs and get away with it, but the drugs charges alone will affect him for the rest of his life, without destroying his education too.
anderson212
says...
3:33pm Thu 24 Jan 13
RadicalEmu
says...
5:54pm Thu 24 Jan 13
8089 wrote:PRISON is his punishment. Full stop.
Why the hell should he be given the chance to do his exams first?
Sacrificing his exams to go to prison should be part of his punishment!!
If I ever go to prison (I won't) I hope I get the chance to do a few things I need to get done first!!! RIDICULOUS!
.
Loss of freedom is his punishment.
.
Being away from loved ones is his punishment.
.
Living in a confined space full of strangers is his punishment.
.
Prison is his punishment. Why is that so hard to understand?
elvisimo
says...
6:32pm Thu 24 Jan 13
RadicalEmu wrote:It isn't but you get a lot of people on here who don't ready stories or take into account the facts. They just spout their narrow views
8089 wrote:PRISON is his punishment. Full stop.
Why the hell should he be given the chance to do his exams first?
Sacrificing his exams to go to prison should be part of his punishment!!
If I ever go to prison (I won't) I hope I get the chance to do a few things I need to get done first!!! RIDICULOUS!
.
Loss of freedom is his punishment.
.
Being away from loved ones is his punishment.
.
Living in a confined space full of strangers is his punishment.
.
Prison is his punishment. Why is that so hard to understand?
8089
says...
11:04pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Why is it so hard to understand?
Pikey-Biker
says...
8:42am Fri 25 Jan 13
As a Taxpayer I don’t really want to support this guy on benefits for the rest of his working life so anything he can do to help himself I am all for it
At the end of the day he is going to Prison to serve his time
pperson
says...
9:56am Fri 25 Jan 13
8089 wrote:8089 is obviously just showing his ignorance about the importance of rehabilitation. prison, and having it on his record for the rest of his life is enough punishment.
....And sacrificing doing his exams should be a part of that punishment!
Why is it so hard to understand?
Solomon's Boot
says...
3:14pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Rehabilitation comes after a sentence, not before..He should do his exams in prison!!
He chose to break the law. I have no sympathy, NOT 'ignorance'!
pperson
says...
4:38pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Solomon's Boot wrote:Sorry I suppose that was quite ignorant presuming 8089 was a male, I just didn't think a woman would be so heartless. He will have a better chance of rehabilitation with a degree under his belt.
What do you mean 'his'? Now you're showing your ignorance pperson!!
Rehabilitation comes after a sentence, not before..He should do his exams in prison!!
He chose to break the law. I have no sympathy, NOT 'ignorance'!
I wish him nothing but luck in his exams.
Forgiveness is key.
abfab91
says...
11:21pm Fri 25 Jan 13
nedscrumpo says...
6:24am Thu 24 Jan 13