Jail term for actor’s son

Press, 6 April 1989, Page 18

Jail term for actor’s son

NZPA-PA London The son of a wellknown screen and stage star, Stratford-Johns, has been jailed for two and a half years for his part in a drugs racket involving £30,000 ($NZ84,650) worth of cannabis. Alan Stratford-Johns, aged 26, was the supplier in the ring.

His father became a household name in the 1960 s and 1970 s for his role as Inspector Barlow in “Z Cars” and “Softly, Softly.” Mr Joel Clompus, prosecuting, told the Crown

Court at Southwark that Stratford-Johns had been part of a four-man gang caught selling cannabis at King’s Cross Station in September last year, Stratford-Johns had almost £2OOO ($NZ5643) in his pocket when arrested by drug squad officers but asserted it was payment for a newspaper story about his father.

Mr Nicholas Leviseur, defending, explained that Stratford-Johns had been disowned by his father and mother after a defamatory article had been printed in August 1988.

From that time until his arrest, he was on one continuous heroin trip and had managed, in that short time, to spend half the proceeds from the story. “He had a difficult time in his early life and drugs and alcohol were freely available in the circles which his family moved in. He has been dabbling in drugs at a considerable level since the age of 13,” said Mr Leviseur.

Stratford-Johns, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis in September, 1988.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of 4.Bkg of cannabis resin with intent to supply on September 23 last year. Judge Cooke said: “You were the supplier in this case, not the importer and I do not deal with you as the top man. “You have thrown away opportunities in your life because of your heroin addiction, but that is your own decision and you must learn to live with it.”

Three other men were jailed for up to two years for their part in the drugs operation.