A judge told a Dunedin man found in a car with methamphetamine and a loaded firearm: "New Zealand is desperately concerned with this kind of offending."
At 2.30pm on March 31, police saw Matthew John Sydney Coombes, 31, in a vehicle with incorrect licence plates, the Dunedin District Court heard last week.
They found a cannabis bong in the driver’s door well and Coombes had a bag of methamphetamine (2.17g) tucked into his waistband.
He told police he had a firearm. A search of the vehicle revealed a .22 calibre rifle with a loaded magazine containing seven rounds of ammunition.
"New Zealand is desperately concerned with this kind of offending," Judge Smith said.
"It needs to stop, and stop now."
Counsel Meg Scally said the man had "been on a poor trajectory since his relationship break-up" and his drug use had led him to associate with the wrong people.
Coombes had reportedly been carrying the firearm for protection as he had been concerned for his safety in relation to a drug debt.
"That is a ridiculous and dangerous reason," the judge said.
"In the clear light of day he can now see that was a totally inappropriate response to the threat he perceived."
The man spent six weeks in custody and "had an epiphany" about his drug use while in jail, the court heard.
Since being released on bail he had been in fulltime work and had received positive feedback from his employer.
Judge Smith commended the man for his sobriety but said the offending needed to be met with "proper penalties".
Coombes was convicted of possessing methamphetamine and unlawfully possessing a firearm. He was sentenced to five months’ community detention, 250 hours’ of community work and six months’ supervision.
— Erin Cox, PIJF court reporter
