The third of four men who admitted possessing methamphetamine found by armed police when they stopped the men's car in North Dunedin 16 months ago, has been sentenced to home detention and community work.
Joseph Kevin Boyle (26), of Invercargill, was before Judge Kevin Phillips in the Dunedin District Court this week convicted of possessing the class A controlled drug methamphetamine for supply, and possessing a pipe for smoking methamphetamine, on November 26, 2014.
He was sentenced to nine months' home detention and 250 hours community work on the supply charge, and 70 hours' community work (concurrent) for possessing the pipe.
Charged jointly, all four men pleaded guilty in January this year to possessing methamphetamine for supply. Two, including the principal offender, have been sentenced. Boyle, like two of his co-offenders, was charged as a party to the offending.
Crown counsel Craig Power said Boyle's involvement was integral. The methamphetamine had a street value of $36,000.
The judge said the presentence report assessed Boyle as suitable for home detention, as did his footprint of being on electronically-monitored bail for a lengthy period of time.
Sentencing Boyle to nine months' home detention rather than what would otherwise have been 23 months' jail, the judge said the term was ‘‘lengthy and exacting''.
If Boyle breached the sentence, he would to to jail. Boyle will also be subject to standard and special post-detention conditions for six months from the detention end.
