'Drug dealer to the stars' loses appeal against conviction

Convicted drug dealer John Waterworth. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The man dubbed the "drug dealer to the stars" has had his appeal against a drug conviction and prison sentence quashed.

John Francis Waterworth was sentenced to three years and six months in prison at the Auckland District Court in May last year after a jury trial on one count of conspiracy to supply MDMA.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing 298 tablets of BZP and 87g of methamphetamine

In a finding released by the Court of Appeal today, Justices Tony Randerson, Judith Potter and Simon France found that the District Court judge was right to introduce propensity evidence.

They also found that the sentence Waterworth received last year was fair.

The District Court Judge did not find that he was a minor player in the conspiracy but said "he was right in it".

The Justices found that the District Court judge was right to add nine months to the sentence for Waterworth's previous offending.

Waterworth was also jailed in 2006 for drug charges relating to cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy.

Justice Raynor Asher at the High Court at Auckland ordered Waterworth to serve a minimum non-parole period of two years and three months.