Daniel Barwell: Labour councillor who ‘plotted to import magic mushrooms’ to US apologises to voters
A former Labour councillor wanted in America on drugs charges has written a letter from prison to residents of the town he once represented to say sorry.
Daniel Barwell resigned from Doncaster Council in February after being arrested on suspicion of planning to help import magic mushrooms into the US.
He is currently being held in prison and will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in May when an extradition hearing will decide if he should be sent to Ohio to stand trial.
In his letter to voters living in his old Wheatley Hills and Intake ward, he said: “I should be a better role model, one they deserve, and I wholeheartedly mean to make up for my time away ten-fold.”
He also thanked residents for their support. “I knew it wouldn’t take long to reach the news,” he wrote. “But as far as I could tell, everytime a post went up, there were at least half a dozen Clay Lane residents ready to defend my character.”
He added he had built a matchstick frame so he could hang notes of support on his cell wall.
The 27-year-old – who was elected only last year – was arrested on 2 February at his home in the South Yorkshire town by the Metropolitan Police‘s national extradition unit after an Interpol red notice was issued at the request of the US authorities.
He was denied bail when he appeared before magistrates on 10 February. District Judge Nina Tempia said there were substantial grounds to believe he would fail to attend court for the extradition hearing.
At the hearing, defence barrister Malcolm Hawkes said Barwell denied the allegations and there was “very limited evidence” against him.
Doncaster’s directly elected Labour mayor has refused to comment on the situation.
