Stephen John Sutton

Stephen John Sutton (born 1964) is an Australian man currently imprisoned in Argentina. He was arrested on February 4 2003 [http://www.abc.net.au/correspondents/s780050.htm Operation Kangaroo nets cocaine haul in Buenos Aires] Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 9 2003] after a joint operation by the Australian Federal Police and Argentine Police. He was charged with narcotics offences [cite news | last = Miller | first = Wayne | title = Joint drug raids yield 14 arrests | publisher = The Age | date = 2003-02-07 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/06/1044498914835.html | accessdate = 2008-05-16] and was sentenced in 2005 to 11 years in jail for drug trafficking.

Sutton was last seen by his family in Sydney, Australia. At the time, he was living by himself and working in a Sydney factory. It is believed that he had met a Peruvian girl at his place of employment and travelled to Peru with her. He contacted his sister by mail and informed her that he had travelled to Peru with the girl and was living with her and her family and that the girl's family was treating him well.

Sutton and his family maintain his innocence as he claims that he was asked to courier "a quantity of gold" from Peru to Argentina. He also claims that when arrested, he had no drugs in his possession. The family are campaigning for his early release and improved support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) who they maintain have provided inadequate health care [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1505162.htm Family seeks help for man in Argentine jail] Australian Broadcasting Corporation, November 12 2005] and legal advice to Sutton and insufficient information to the family. They have also criticized the Australian Government for not making attempts to have him returned to Australia, comparing his case to that of Schapelle Corby. [cite news | last = Monro | first = Catherine | title = Family plea for inmate in Argentina | publisher = The Age| date = 2005-05-29 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Family-plea-for-inmate-in-Argentina/2005/05/28/1117129935054.html?from=moreStories | accessdate = 2008-05-16]

ee also

*List of Australians in international prisons

References

External links

* Website maintained by Sutton's family (waybackdate|site=http://www.stephensutton.com/|date=20070506183737)
* [http://adelaide.indymedia.org/feature/display/9341/index.php Adelaide Independent Media Centre article, 2 November 2005] (URL accessed: March 2, 2006)