A career criminal's actions in helping broker the return of stolen war medals two years ago earned him a substantial discount on his drug dealing sentence today.
Daniel Crichton was jailed in the High Court at Auckland for seven years on a single representative charge of supplying more than 1kg of methamphetamine during a 44-day period in 2007.
When combined with a previous sentence handed out in December last year for another methamphetamine charge, he faces a total of nine years seven months behind bars.
Justice Hugh Williams said a starting point for sentencing of 12-1/2 years imprisonment, uplifted by a further 12 to 18 months for aggravating factors, which included previous convictions and supplying drugs to a prisoner, was justified on the charge he was sentenced for today.
But he gave Crichton a substantial discount due to his guilty plea, his attempts at turning his life around and his part in securing the return of some of the war medals stolen from the Army Museum in Waiouru in December 2007.
"It's not going too far to say the nation was most grateful that a significant part of our military history was recovered," Justice Williams said.
Crichton was in custody when medals, including Victoria Crosses, were stolen. He later came to discover where the medals might be and approached his then lawyer about it, Justice Williams said.
His contribution led directly to the return of the first batch of seven of the medals, known as the Hudson medals. The others were returned later.
Justice Williams said Crichton turned down a monetary reward for his part in the return of the Hudson medals.
He had also said he had been the subject of "punitive action" against him by other inmates as a result of his help to police.
A jury was empanelled less than three weeks ago to hear the 11 charges Crichton originally faced over the 2007 drug offending. But after discussions in chambers, he pleaded guilty to one representative charge.
Justice Williams noted during sentencing Crichton had indicated on occasions during the court process he would have pleaded guilty at a much earlier stage were it not for other factors that he should not be penalised for.
These included possible hints that he might avoid a custodial sentence for his role in brokering the medals return, which Justice Williams said was unrealistic, given the amount of methamphetamine involved.
As a result, the discount for his guilty plea was 20%, much more than normal for a guilty plea entered after a jury had been empanelled.
Justice Williams said he would not normally give a discount for improved personal circumstances but he did so because of strong support from his church and his family, including his partner of nine years.
Crichton, a former Black Power member, had 186 previous convictions, though only about 10 were for drugs charges. Justice Williams did not impose any minimum non-parole period, so Crichton will come up for parole after serving about three years three months.
It would be up to the Parole Board to decide if and when he should be released after that.
Crichton today told the court he was committed to reforming his ways. He waved to his family before being taken away.
Two George Crosses, an Albert Medal and nine Victoria Crosses were among the 96 medals stolen from the army museum. Two men have subsequently admitted charges relating to their theft.
One, Ronald van Wakeren, was last year jailed for 11 years for a variety of charges, including ones related to the medal theft. A second man, who has name suppression, admitted charges on Tuesday this week and will be sentenced on August 26.
