Life in a Bangkok dungeon: The Paul Hayward story

Author Neil Cadigan 

 

 

The story of former Newtown player Paul Hayward is often brought up when modern-day rugby league players get in trouble off the field. Four decades after he was arrested for possessing heroin in Thailand, his story is more than a cautionary tale for NRL players.

 

It is one of sadness, regret, unfulfilled potential and ultimately, tragedy.

 

In the first of a series of features that NRL.com will be publishing from the Rugby League Weekarchives, here is the original story from 1985 of Hayward's fall from grace, written by experienced rugby league journalist Neil Cadigan, who these days is a reporter for NRL.com after a lengthy career at various publications including Rugby League Week and Big League magazines.

 

Titled "Life in a Bangkok Dungeon", this story first appeared in Rugby League Week on April 18, 1985, written by Neil Cadigan.

 

Paul Hayward was a tough, pugnacious five-eighth from Newtown, a scrapper in the old Bluebag tradition — who mixed professional boxing with his rugby league career.

 

In teeming Bangkok, in October, 1978, he was arrested on a charge of possessing 8.4kg of heroin, charged, and subsequently sentenced to 20 years in jail.

 

He remained in Bangkok's notorious prisons since the day he was arrested.

 

Full story: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/10/11/life-in-a-bangkok-dungeon-the-paul-hayward-story/

 

-- NRL 2018-10-11

Sad story,but 8.4 kg of smack is a fair amount. If you get involved in the drug world,usually it ends in murder,or imprisonment,; Pablo Escobar,Cali cartel, Lazcano of the Zeta gang in Mexico,El Chapo will die in prison of that you can be sure,once your in you ain't coming out,sure you can make a lot of money,but in the end you will foot the bill.

Drug pushers have no conscience. And fully aware of any one of many possible fates, they have no foresight either. Just live for today.

"Up to you".

14 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Sad story,but 8.4 kg of smack is a fair amount. If you get involved in the drug world,usually it ends in murder,or imprisonment,; Pablo Escobar,Cali cartel, Lazcano of the Zeta gang in Mexico,El Chapo will die in prison of that you can be sure,once your in you ain't coming out,sure you can make a lot of money,but in the end you will foot the bill.

  Looks like his brother in law was a bad dude and he went to Thailand to deal some heroin.  Got caught, got AIDs in prison, got a royal pardon after 4 years then died back in the UK.  Really no surprises here. 

13 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

  Looks like his brother in law was a bad dude and he went to Thailand to deal some heroin.  Got caught, got AIDs in prison, got a royal pardon after 4 years then died back in the UK.  Really no surprises here. 

I guess the prison wasn't sterilizing the cutlery.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

It is one of sadness, regret, unfulfilled potential and ultimately, tragedy.

Sheesh, make a movie already... 

You know sometimes you have to think what goes through someone's head. Successful sportsmen, wife and 3 kids. Oh, I will just go and fly up to Thailand and smuggle 8.4KG of Heroin. How do you make that progression? I read the article. I had never heard about this at all. I would say this. The Brother-In-Law was the one who apparently organised the deal in the first place, So due to the fact that his wife stuck by him, she probably knew what was going on from the outset. My thoughts. A sad end but a drug smuggler is a drug smuggler.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the book. 

Hayward was set up by his brother in law Needy Smith. Needy is still in goal with Parkinson', Paul Hayward died of an overdose back in Australia. 

Also have a read of Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Fellows.

 

I read the book in 2 days. It was a sad read about stupidity. The book is an account where you go, when caught in a foreign country. It doesn't glorify the trade in Heroin, but tells what it is like doing time.

He carried an extra 8.4 KG & did not know ?

Hard to believe.

Heroin as well not just weed

I cannot imagine how horrible it would be to be banged up in Thailand or in Laos, or anywhere in SE Asia. I watched a movie yesterday "A Prayer Before Dawn" about a Brit boxer who got banged up in Thailand for drugs and boxed his way out of prison. It was a brutal movie to watch and knowing it was true and allegedly fairly spot on made it worse.

 

Why would anyone get involved with drugs here? It is the definition of insanity.

Proves one can be rough tough and stupid 

13 hours ago, Chris Lawrence said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the book. 

Hayward was set up by his brother in law Needy Smith. Needy is still in goal with Parkinson', Paul Hayward died of an overdose back in Australia. 

Also have a read of Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Fellows.

 

I read the book in 2 days. It was a sad read about stupidity. The book is an account where you go, when caught in a foreign country. It doesn't glorify the trade in Heroin, but tells what it is like doing time.

I bought a copy of The Damage Done on a freind's say so in 2007, I read it every few years (yes a two day read, is pretty captivating when you get into it, warts N all) still a good read and an eye opener to the Thai Penal system, most of my friends have passed it between them, has well done the rounds - Big Tiger!

 

Another good book from a different viewpoint is The Last Executioner. 

The man who carried out the last executions by machine gun, that takes you all over the prison system to various places and various executions as seen from the man himself, the crimes committed, sentence, execution preparation and checks. Sometimes very sad but he carried out his duties with respect to the end.

7 hours ago, Cereal said:

 I watched a movie yesterday "A Prayer Before Dawn" about a Brit boxer who got banged up in Thailand for drugs and boxed his way out of prison.

Where did you find this movie?  I searched Netflix, couldn't find it... (sounds like a good movie)

16 hours ago, neeray said:

I guess the prison wasn't sterilizing the cutlery.

I used to hear growing up back in the 60s that one could get STDs from toile seats too

I remember this ; he used to play for Newtown Rugby League first grade,

of course he was only a carrier , one must remember who visited him in Thailand countless times AND paid for his kids private school fees, no other than advertising man John Singleton what a great guy to do that,and famous Radio host John Laws ,what a great bunch of guys along with Gerry Harvey of then Norman Ross furniture chain.

 

I always admired these 3 guys for “helping” out Hayward and Warren Fellows , of course dont forget Bill Sinclair who paid his Bail to leave prison, he was suppossed to come back to Thailand for a trial but never did and they obviously knew that !!!

i imagine he would be dead by now he was about 65 then so we are going back to 1978/79

 

I heard Warren Fellows lives still in Sydney 

 

As for the nice guys Singo,Laws and Co they are still helping out people i guess or has that moved to other shock jocks?

16 hours ago, CanuckThai said:

Where did you find this movie?  I searched Netflix, couldn't find it... (sounds like a good movie)

It was a very good movie. I watch all my movies and TV shows on a streaming site called Popcorn Time for free. It's got everything.

I remember this ; he used to play for Newtown Rugby League first grade,
of course he was only a carrier , one must remember who visited him in Thailand countless times AND paid for his kids private school fees, no other than advertising man John Singleton what a great guy to do that,and famous Radio host John Laws ,what a great bunch of guys along with Gerry Harvey of then Norman Ross furniture chain.
 
I always admired these 3 guys for “helping” out Hayward and Warren Fellows , of course dont forget Bill Sinclair who paid his Bail to leave prison, he was suppossed to come back to Thailand for a trial but never did and they obviously knew that !!!
i imagine he would be dead by now he was about 65 then so we are going back to 1978/79
 
I heard Warren Fellows lives still in Sydney 
 
As for the nice guys Singo,Laws and Co they are still helping out people i guess or has that moved to other shock jocks?

Yup Singowas a sponsor of Newtown and still helps out Tom Raudonikis also .

Sent from my SM-T580 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

On 10/12/2018 at 9:54 AM, Chris Lawrence said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the book. 

Hayward was set up by his brother in law Needy Smith. Needy is still in goal with Parkinson', Paul Hayward died of an overdose back in Australia. 

Also have a read of Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Fellows.

 

I read the book in 2 days. It was a sad read about stupidity. The book is an account where you go, when caught in a foreign country. It doesn't glorify the trade in Heroin, but tells what it is like doing time.

Drug dealing scum like this shouldn't be allowed to profit from their punishment. Don't buy the book!

 

On 10/12/2018 at 5:29 PM, CanuckThai said:

Where did you find this movie?  I searched Netflix, couldn't find it... (sounds like a good movie)

its only just come out it wont be on netflix yet

 

4 hours ago, gaviny said:

Yup Singowas a sponsor of Newtown and still helps out Tom Raudonikis also .

Sent from my SM-T580 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Yes Singo & john  Laws were great guys back then helping the working class lads out .

 

 

Hayward just couldnt cope mentally when he came back and even hid food apparently .

 

of course Thai jails have changed since the 70’s and 80’s and last time I went to visit someone i noticed the prison officers were younger and looked more professional in their uniforms,mind you it wasnt the notorious Bang Kwang  maximum i went to.

 

 

 

On 10/12/2018 at 1:54 PM, Chris Lawrence said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the book. 

Hayward was set up by his brother in law Needy Smith. Needy is still in goal with Parkinson', Paul Hayward died of an overdose back in Australia. 

Also have a read of Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Fellows.

 

I read the book in 2 days. It was a sad read about stupidity. The book is an account where you go, when caught in a foreign country. It doesn't glorify the trade in Heroin, but tells what it is like doing time.

Maybe was “set up” by his brother in law the infamous Neddy Smith , but......question is , ...who were the Mr Bigs behind it ?

 

Doubt Smith had the brains nor the funds to carry out ,he was probaly just a go between.

 

The 70’s and 80’s and certain extent of the  90’s was rife with mass corruption and criminality in Sydney Australia from Judges to Politicians to very high ranking Police.

 

Can you imagine the corruption on the Waterfront back then with ships coming in loaded up wih smack .

 

 

On 10/12/2018 at 3:59 PM, Cereal said:

I cannot imagine how horrible it would be to be banged up in Thailand or in Laos, or anywhere in SE Asia. I watched a movie yesterday "A Prayer Before Dawn" about a Brit boxer who got banged up in Thailand for drugs and boxed his way out of prison. It was a brutal movie to watch and knowing it was true and allegedly fairly spot on made it worse.

 

Why would anyone get involved with drugs here? It is the definition of insanity.

and apparently has boxed his way back into UK prison.  That guy's English is so bad; it needed subtitles.

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 7:38 AM, neeray said:

I guess the prison wasn't sterilizing the cutlery.

He got it from a heroine needle. when he was free he OD'ed on heroine.