808 State DJ sentenced to 18 months

Darren Partington, a DJ in the British electronic band 808 State, has been sentenced in Manchester Crown Court to 18 months in prison for selling heroin and crack cocaine.

Partington was arrested on July 29 when police saw him hand a bag to two known drug dealers in a suburb of the city. Darren's lawyer told the court that Partington was a recreational drug user who was pressured by his dealer to sell drugs in payment for a debt, citing threatening messages on the defendant's phone that was searched by police. While the court sympathized with Partington's situation, he said "Whatever the fear you had for your family you should have been man enough, at your age, to resist. Instead you chose to peddle drugs, which cause misery to people and a cycle of crime."

Partington was not an original member of the group but was brought in after founder Gerald Simpson left for a solo career in 1989. While 808 State had already had their first big hit (Pacific State), Partington was part of the band for the subsequent top ten British hits The Only Rhyme That Bites, Cubic/Olympic and In Yer Face.

Darren is still part of the band and has branched out into side projects including the band Big Unit and recording under the name Jeep.

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