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How a 'hedonistic' young tradie Powerball winner's life spiralled out of control after he won $22million

Posted: Friday, September 30th, 2022

A young tradie's life quickly began to spiral out of control after he won a staggering $22million lottery draw and used the money to fund his drug-fuelled party lifestyle, with police photos of the property revealing the extend of the debauchery, MailOnline has reported.

Joshua Winslet, 27, was sentenced to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18-months last week, but the time behind bars was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.

The Powerball winner pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence after a police raid at this New Port home in Adelaide uncovered 2.27g of cocaine, 27.3g of MDMA and handgun with ammunition in a manhole in the bathroom.

Adelaide District Court judge Heath Barklay said the former plumber had been 'hopelessly drug addicted' at the time of offending and started hanging with the 'wrong crowd'.

“You stopped working and over time, you slipped into regular drug use,' Judge Barklay said during sentencing, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.

'Because of the money that you had won, there was no motivation on your part to work or do anything other than enjoy yourself.”

He said Winslet's newfound millions had been used to feed the drug habits of those who frequented his house parties - with one of his 'so-called friends' brining an illegal firearm and ammunition to store in his roof.

Confronting photos from inside the property show a bowl of white powder inside a mostly empty fridge.

Hung on one of the walls is Winslet's winning lottery ticket while in other rooms empty bottles, cans and dirty plates cover almost every available surface.

Winslet's lawyer David Edwardson QC said the 'appalling' state of the home was because its occupants at the time had been treating it as a 'party house'.

In sentencing submissions in July, Mr Edwardson explained his client's millions were being managed by his parents in a trust account, but that Winslet had used a portion to buy property in South Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Edwardson said his client had experienced a 'wakeup call' after learning he could do time for his actions.

Judge Barklay said the 27-year-old's newfound wealth saw him become content with “living a hedonistic lifestyle punctuated by drug use”.

He admonished Winslet for possessing the firearm as it had increased the likelihood of people using it for an “unlawful purpose”.

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