Inside ‘hedonistic' downfall of plumber whose £11m lottery jackpot cost him his life after blowing fortune in 3 years

The Irish Sun

a day ago

LOTTERY winner Joshua Winslet was found dead in his home after his £11million prize caused his life to spiral out of control.
The Australian plumber was just 22 years old when he landed the fortune in 2017, but he blew it all in just three years after he was crippled by addiction.
8
Josh Winslet spent the last £9 in his bank account to buy the winning lottery ticket
Credit: Facebook
8
A plate of mysterious white powder was found in his fridge
Credit: Courts SA
His parents tried to help him manage the eyewatering sum of cash by stashing it in a trust fund, but tragically, that wasn't enough to save him.
In 2022, he died at home from health complications caused by excessive drug use.
His death was not reported by New Zealand or Australian press at the time.
His tragic end came shortly after he was arrested and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for supplying drugs and possessing a firearm.
read more on lottery winners
A friend of Josh spoke of his death and told the MailOnline: "It was such a shock and absolutely devastating, but sadly a lot of us were so worried this is what it was coming to."
Looking back at his lottery win, she said: "When I found out he won through the grapevine, I thought, 'Oh, wow, that's extraordinary.'
"I was so happy for him. Out of everyone from our school, and after all the bullying he copped, he deserved it more than anyone," she added.
Another said how he called her and her boyfriend to break the news of his Powerball winnings.
Most read in The Sun
She said that she initially thought he was joking, but after he sent her a screenshot of his Lotto app, she realised he was being serious.
But how did the hardworking tradie's life take such a drastic turn?
Lottery player 'illegally' banned from taking $83.5m win over loophole even though she played by the rules, lawyer says
Josh was living on New Zealand's South Island at the time and had suffered severe bullying over his 'physical deformities' that were caused by Duane syndrome and Goldenhar syndrome.
Duane syndrome stops the eye muscles from developing properly, which affects eye movement.
Goldenhar syndrome causes abnormalities in the formation of the bones in the face and head.
It can also cause spinal issues and benign cysts to form on the eye, as well as impacting internal organs.
He'd had a string of surgeries as a child to treat the syndromes.
Josh was also born with a singular horseshoe-shaped kidney and an irregular heartbeat, stopping him from playing contact sports.
The torment inflicted on him by his peers was so severe that when he was in Year 10 he left school and studied at Adelaide University Senior College in South Australia.
He studied for around six months before leaving to do a plumbing apprenticeship.
When he was 20, he moved to New Zealand's South Island to look for work.
Around this time, he used the last £9 ($19) in his bank account to buy a last-minute ticket for the Powerball draw and won £11million ($22milion).
But the cash began to burn a hole in his pocket, and he soon started splashing it on a-class drugs.
In 2020, cops raided the "party house" and found an unlicensed firearm Mauser handgun and ammunition hidden in his bathroom.
A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized.
Investigators received a tip-off the lottery winner was allegedly manufacturing drugs at the property.
Josh, who was 27 at the time, pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence.
He was sentenced to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18 months.
The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.
Shocking images released by South Australia's District
Court
showed the inside of his trashed New Port mansion at the time.
Empty bottles of booze, bongs, bags of MDMA, cocaine and marijuana appeared to be littered around the bachelor pad.
Nitrous oxide canisters, cigarettes and half-drunk glasses of wine were also seen strewn across a marble table.
Another snap showed a large bowl filled with a mystery white powder inside his fridge, alongside a pack of Red Bull cans and beer boxes.
Chaotic jumbles of rubbish and clothes were left dumped on the floor in an "appalling" state.
Judge Heath Barklay said that Josh had "lost motivation" for life and had adopted a "hedonistic lifestyle".
He said: "Because of the money that you had won, there was no motivation on your part to work or do anything other than enjoy yourself.
"You had lots of money so you could afford to buy large amounts of drugs, which you would use yourself and supply to your so-called friends from time to time."
8
His house was littered with bongs, empty bottles of booze and MDMA
Credit: Courts SA
8
A Mauser handgun and ammunition was hidden in his bathroom
Credit: Courts SA
8
A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized
Credit: Courts SA
8
He was just 22 years old when he won the huge cash prize in 2017
Credit: Courts SA
8
He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison
Credit: Courts SA
8
Josh was horrendously bullied at school and left to do an apprenticeship
Credit: Courts SA
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.