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A Nottingham Trent University lecturer was sentenced to prison for organizing a night of alcohol and drugs, which resulted in the death of a friend from his school days. The lecturer purchased the narcotics from the dark web.

Nottingham Trent University's building in Goldsmith Street

Nottingham Trent University's building in Goldsmith Street

Dr. Harry Purser, who got a degree from Cambridge University in 2002, is currently listed as a senior lecturer at the School of Social Sciences at the Nottingham Trent University. According to the court information, the 36-year-old defendant bought drugs from the dark web using bitcoins for the payments. He then invited his friend, the 35-year-old Patrick Marr, who visited his apartment in The Park estate, Nottingham on November 12, last year. At Purser’s flat, the two school time friends spent the night taking drugs and drinking alcohol.

However, when Purser awoke at 11.48 am the next morning, he was shocked after finding Marr dead in the apartment, Samuel Skinner from prosecution told the court. He immediately alerted the police, and when they arrive, he showed them a range of illegal substances including cocaine, ketamine and two brands of psychoactive drugs.

“His friend came for a visit from Leeds. On November 12, they spent the evening drinking alcohol together and taking illegal drugs,” the prosecutor said.

The autopsy report of Marr revealed that the alcohol and the drugs the 35-year-old consumed at the night party had a major effect on the man’s respiratory system and his heart rate. According to the Purser’s statement, the defendant had known Marr since he was 15.

Judge Timothy Spencer sentenced Purser to six months in prison, whose current address was given in court as Hamilton Road, Carrington. The defendant admitted four charges of supplying drugs and five counts of possessing drugs.

“This is truly a tragic case but it is a cautionary tale of why we regulate drugs in this country,” Judge Spencer told Purser. “You knew that the devastating cocktail of drugs you were obtaining was illegal and you must have known it was dangerous. You know that anyone who goes to buy anything on the dark web is literally delving into very dark waters. It is dicing with death. I can’t ignore the ultimate consequences of your criminal conduct. That is why I am left with no alternative but to lock you up. It gives me no pleasure, quite the opposite. It would be a failure of the judicial function to do anything else. You are a man of absolute exemplary character and huge ability. You have probably ruined your career.”

The judge emphasized the fact that Purser was “fully frank” with law enforcement authorities when the defendant was given a legal advice to remain silent. Since the suspect lost a school time friend, he put his fears about legal proceedings aside, and cooperated the police, the court heard.

Chris Brewin, defending his client, told the court that Purser had never been in trouble before, and now he is receiving counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he has since his friend died at his apartment. Brewin added that his client had refused advice to decline to answer police questions.

“He said ‘I have got to say what I have done.’ It is a terrible case and they had been friends for a long time. They made a fatal mistake, a fatal decision to drink and have these drugs,” Brewin told the judge.

“As court proceedings have now concluded, this member of staff’s employment by the university is being considered within our established procedures,” a Nottingham Trent University spokesman said regarding the case of the defendant.

The case of Purser and the death of his school time friend Marr is really tragic. The court had considered the fact that the university lecturer helped the police at their work and did not deny anything against himself. However, since Purser admitted the fact that he bought narcotics from the dark web, along with the other charges against the man, he was sentenced to prison for his crimes.

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