Nurse who supplied mdma to one of three students to die from suspected drugs overdose has kept his freedom
A children's nurse who supplied MDMA to one of three university students who died from suspected drugs overdoses during lockdown has kept his freedom.
Nathaniel Pavlovic, 21, died in October 2020, hours after taking MDMA given to him by fellow undergraduate George Harle.
Northumbria University student Nathaniel, known as Nathan, as well as Mark Johnstone, Jeni Lamour, Stephanie Sillifant, all 18, lost their lives within days of each other in Newcastle.
It was initially believed all had died as a result of drugs overdoses but an inquest later ruled that Stephanie had passed away of natural causes.
At Newcastle Crown Court Harle, now a 25-year-old paediatric nurse, of Shield Street, Newcastle, admitted supplying the MDMA that killed Nathan and has been sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 12 months, with 150 hours unpaid work.
The court heard he bought the deadly drug, which was 96 per cent pure, from dealer Kasam Ali, 34, of Croyden Road, Newcastle, who pleaded guilty to possessing MDMA, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis with intent to supply after around £2,000 of drugs were found in his car.
Ali has been jailed for three years and seven months. Judge Tim Gittins said Nathan was "highly inexperienced" in drug taking and appears to have taken a fatal dose.
Judge Gittins added in relation to the defendants: "Neither face homicide charges. Nathan was an adult, albeit a naive one, making his own choices.
"Nonetheless, both bear responsibility, in part, for his death, obviously the highest harm possible."
The judge said Ali was prepared to sell drugs "in amounts that could kill" and ignored the risks associated with that.
Judge Gittins told Harle, who was then a nurse in training but went on to qualify: "You of all people should have known better and known the risks."
The judge added that Harle was 20 at the time of the offence, was of "exemplary" character before and has behaved well since and told him: "You have demonstrated very real and genuine remorse for your part in Nathan's death."
Judge Gittins said the offence will remain with Harle "for the rest of your days".
Prosecutor Jessica Slaughter told the court on the night of October 3 2023 Nathan and his friends had been at the student digs in Melbourne Street, where people were drinking together and socialising.
Miss Slaughter said: "George Harle said he was going to go to his dealer and asked if anyone wanted MDMA or ket. Nathan put his hand up.
"Harle left the flat and after he returned he and Nathan took MDMA together, as well as two others."
The court hard one of the other people who took the MDMA said it made her feel "nervous and paranoid" and caused her to vomit, which had never happened to her before.
Miss Slaughter said Nathan initially thought the pills had no effect on him but others noticed his demeanour had changed and added: "It was evident to those that were there that the drugs had had an effect on Nathan and George Harle, both were described to be hallucinating.
"The affect on Nathan was more pronounced and troubling to his friends.
"He was encouraged to drink water. Nathan continued to become worse."
The court heard Harle and others put Nathan to bed in his room but he continued to deteriorate and become less responsive so they dialled 111 and an ambulance was sent.
Miss Slaughter added: "Nathan was taken to hospital. Tragically he was pronounced dead at 7.23am."
The court heard the MDMA in Nathan's body was 96 per cent purity.
In heartbreaking victim impact statements, Nathan's parents describe him as now being "forever 21" and spoke of their agony over his loss.
The said family celebrations will never be the same and they now have to watch his many friends grow up, start their careers and have families, which he has been robbed of.
His mum said: "We will never get over his loss."
Adrian Strong, defending, said Harle assisted the police and added: "This is something he will always regret, something always on his mind."
Mr Strong said Harle returned to his family in West Yorkshire after Nathan's death but was able to achieve his aim of becoming a nurse.
John Crawford, defending Ali, said he became involved in dealing under a "degree of threat".