A Christchurch couple took turns to look after their
6-week-old baby while "pseudo shopping" in Alexandra, Wanaka
and Queenstown earlier this year.
Damien Lee Whitlow (29), and his partner, Vikki Sharon Ward
(27), admitted six and nine charges respectively before Judge
Dominic Flatley in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
Whitlow is charged with dishonestly using a document, a
driver's licence in the name of Falco Kara, to commit a crime
at Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown on April 23 and 24.
He also faces three charges of possessing a precursor
substance, namely pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, intending
the substance be used for the commission of an offence
against the Misuse of Drugs Act, namely to manufacture any
controlled drug, on April 23 and 24 at Alexandra, Wanaka and
Queenstown.
Whitlow was remanded in custody to appear for sentence in the
Invercargill District Court on September 24.
Ward admitted five charges of possessing a precursor at
Waimate, Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown and four charges of
using a document, a driver's licence in the name of Amelia
Florence Stuart, dishonestly and without claim of right, to
commit a crime, on April 23 and 24. She was remanded on bail.
Prosecuting Sergeant Grant Gerken said about 40
over-the-counter pharmacy medicines contained
pseudoephedrine.
People who went on "shopping sprees", targeting those
medicines, were known as "pseudo shoppers".
Whitlow and Ward travelled to the area on April 23 with their
6-week-old baby, to purchase pseudoephedrine products used to
manufacture methamphetamine (P).
Whitlow had altered the driver's licence for Mr Kara and
replaced the photograph with one of his own, while Ward had
done the same thing with the licence for Ms Stuart.
Sgt Gerken said Ward entered a pharmacy at Waimate on April
23 and purchased a pack of Codral cold and flu medication,
while Whitlow waited in the car with their child.
The pair continued to Alexandra, where Whitlow purchased a
pack of Codral, while Ward waited in the car with the baby.
Ward then repeated her offending at another pharmacy in
Alexandra, before they drove to Wanaka. The couple alternated
their offending again in Wanaka before heading to Queenstown.
Ward first entered a pharmacy at Frankton and repeated the
offending, Whitlow then bought another 24 tablets from the
same pharmacy.
The pair headed back to Queenstown, where Ward re-offended,
before driving out to Remarkables Park, where she attempted
to buy more tablets.
Sgt Gerken said Ward was asked for identification, so handed
over Ms Stuart's licence. On being challenged, she ran from
the store. Police were called and a search warrant was
executed, but no packaging, tablets or the licences were
recovered.
Judge Flatley said Whitlow had a serious criminal history,
including two terms of imprisonment on drugs-related charges.
