When a Dunedin drug trafficker was locked up, his desperation grew — so he enlisted the help of his mother. Trevor Jones, 32, appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Thursday where he was sentenced to four years and two months’ jail on a slew of drugs charges. But his crimes began as party to the “relatively brazen” theft of an $11,000 necklace from a jeweller in 2024. The court heard Jones had been to the store in a Dunedin mall the previous year, attempting to barter with staff. On the day of the theft, another man entered the store first, followed by the defendant two minutes later. Jones asked to look at the necklace and when the staff member turned away, the associate swiped it and fled the scene. More than 18 months later, while Jones was on bail, police discovered he was not at his home. When they arrested him a few days later, they discovered he was carrying 28g of methamphetamine and 19g of cocaine, along with $4380 cash. He was also wearing the 9-carat, 55cm stolen necklace, albeit with some modifications. Jones’ bail was revoked and in late November last year, he made several phone calls to his mother Bronwyn, which unravelled a drug-importation scheme between Dunedin and Canada. In one conversation, recorded through the prison system, he instructed her to gather several of his cellphones. Jones gave her the pins and instructed her to use encrypted apps to message: “Nothing showed, I’m out of pocket, brother can you please reimburse even half of the paid amount, or resend”. Jones told his mother to provide a specific address along with the name of his dead grandmother, and told her to keep the phone with her “at all times”. Police found the attempts to ship drugs into the country extended back to July that year. Jones had arranged for a package containing 15g of cocaine to be sent from Canada, addressed to a house next door to his mother, under a fictitious name. The consignment was intercepted by Customs but the defendant tried again. This time, he had it sent directly to his mother’s home, in the name of her deceased mother. Canadian authorities seized the package and discovered 391g of methamphetamine concealed inside a supplement container. “You should consider yourself very lucky they did intervene,” Judge Kerryn Beaton said. Had the importations been successful, Jones would have been facing a longer jail term. In December, police raided the defendant’s home and during a search of the roof space, found a sawn-off .22 rifle and nine rounds of ammunition, all wrapped in blankets and plastic. “The rifle itself was heavily rusted but could have easily been restored to working condition,” court documents said. The following month, Canadian authorities intercepted the final package — addressed as Jones had instructed — bearing 221g of methamphetamine. Counsel Steven Lack said it was not “large-scale, complex drug offending”, as shown by the fact his client was willing to use the prison phone system, knowing the conversation would be recorded. Judge Beaton accepted there was no evidence Jones was part of any wider drug ring. She also acknowledged his crimes were driven, at least in part, by his addiction. The judge referenced a “highly traumatic” upbringing in which drug use and violence was normalised and almost inevitably led the defendant to crime. “Clearly your parents failed you and the state failed you,” she said. Judge Beaton made an order forfeiting the cash and weapon seized by police. Crown prosecutor Craig Power sought a 10-year firearms prohibition order, citing information provided by police that Jones was an associate of the King Cobras gang. That was disputed by Mr Lack and the judge reserved her decision on the issue until October. rob.kidd@odt.co.nz
