'GOOD SAMARITAN' GAVE DRUGS AWAY

FORMER race caller Stuart Shenton was labelled yesterday a good
Samaritan heroin dealer.

Shortly after paying $1000 for two grams of heroin at the Hyde Park
Hotel, Shenton, who has had a drug addiction for 20 years, was
prepared to hand out small quantities of the drug as a gift to two
desperate young prostitutes.

The District Court was told yesterday that 45-year-old Shenton was
earning about $80,000 a year from his job in advertising and could
afford to act in a Christian manner by not charging for the heroin.

But it was a story which Judge David Charters viewed with suspicion as
he remanded Shenton in custody for a pre-sentence report. Shenton has
pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a quantity of heroin with
intent to sell or supply it.

Prosecutor Bruno Ilari said that in April last year officers from the
organised crime investigation branch approached Shenton near the Hyde
Park Hotel.

He was seen to discard a small plastic bag containing heroin and he
had another small bag in his possession.

Shenton told police he was going to supply two prostitutes with some
heroin as a gift.

They knew he was a heroin addict and had been keen to get some heroin
from him. Mr Ilari said that Shenton told police that he often
assisted heroin users out of the goodness of his heart.

In Shenton's words, it was a Christian act but Mr Ilari said it was
very suspicious.

Defence lawyer Hylton Quail said that Shenton had been a successful
race caller and sports presenter in his early 20s but his long working
hours and charity work meant he suffered stress. Heroin helped him
switch off.

In the early 90s, Shenton's heroin addiction was costing about $1500 a
day but because of the high salaries he was able to pay for his addiction.

Mr Quail said that earlier this year Shenton had pleaded guilty to 10
charges of selling and supplying heroin which related to offences in
February last year.

He had been released on an intensive supervision order on condition
that he take part in the naltrexone program.

Mr Quail said that Shenton's behaviour on the program was exemplary
and he submitted that a suspended sentence should be imposed.