Heartbreak High star Putu Winchester-Stanton was moving to Bali before Byron ... trends now
A Heartbreak High star who has pleaded guilty to the commercial supply of cocaine was planning to move permanently to Bali before his arrest in the Byron Bay hinterland.
Putu Winchester-Stanton, who police said was a leader of a drug syndicate, admitted in February to selling cocaine in the Northern Rivers district of NSW and will face a sentencing hearing on Monday.
The 46-year-old, who has a history of drug-related matters, was considered a flight risk after being arrested at his Mullumbimby home and taken to Tweed Heads police station.
A Heartbreak High star who pleaded guilty to commercial cocaine supply was planning to move to Bali before his arrest. Putu Winchester-Stanton admitted selling cocaine in the Northern Rivers district of NSW and will face a sentencing hearing on Monday
At the time the heavily tattooed surfer was the owner of a Byron Bay clothing shop called Tito's TT Bar which had closed for renovations.
'The investigation has identified that Winchester-Stanton is intending to travel to Hawaii and then move to Bali in July 2021 to reside on a permanent basis,' court documents state.
'The accused has been charged with significant drug supply offences which carry a custodial sentence. Police believe that the accused is a significant flight risk.
'Investigators have identified that the accused has access to offshore funds and has business holdings offshore. Police believe the accused has the ability to use these funds to leave Australia if granted bail.
'Police allege that the accused is a syndicate leader and directed this group to supply cocaine on a large scale for financial gain. The accused has a history of drug related matters.'
Winchester-Stanton subsequently spent three months in custody before being granted bail on July 23, 2021. The maximum penalty for commercial supply of cocaine is 20 years' jail.
According to a statement of facts tendered in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, Winchester-Stanton (above) was considered a flight risk when arrested at Mullumbimby and taken to Tweed Heads police station
Winchester-Stanton was born in the back of a three-wheel bemo taxi in Bali on New Year's Eve, 1976. Putu - pronounced 'poo-too' - means first born.
His big entertainment break came when he accompanied his mother, also an actor, to an audition for Heartbreak High aged 18 and was offered a part.
Winchester-Stanton starred in 75 episodes of the show set in a co-ed Sydney high school playing loveable class clown Dennis Klinsmann from 1997 to 1999.
He once said it was while on Heartbreak High as a teen heartthrob he became a 'party animal'.
'When you are young and impressionable and taken by the hand into the world of television and being a pseudo-celebrity, cocaine comes very much hand-in-hand with that,' he told a newspaper in July 2021.
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