A pharmacy student has been jailed for more than three years for importing more than $100,000 of drugs.
Christopher Banks appeared before the Dunedin District Court this morning having pleaded guilty to a slew of charges involving methamphetamine, a stimulant called Ethylone and various prescription medications.
The 22-year-old admitted counts including importation, possession and supply.
The former third-year University of Otago student, who had no previous convictions, had ended any chance of a career in the field of pharmacy, Judge Kevin Phillips said.
He was astonished by Banks' behaviour.
“He comes in boots and all,” he said. “It's unbelievable.”
In September 2015, Banks imported a kilogram of class C ethylone and organised the shipment to be sent to an address in Arrowtown.
The judge said it was unclear how the defendant managed it, but he had found out the names of tourists staying at the house and had the package addressed to them.
“You were aware it was illegal . . . and you covered your tracks,” he said. “It didn't work.”
A police investigation into Banks' activities found that, between February and October 2015, he had been selling drugs to flatmates, which he told them was ecstasy.
The pills, which he sold at up to $40 a pop, could have netted him more than $133,000, the court heard.
When police executed a search warrant at his Belleknowes address, they found hundreds of empty glass vials and capsules.
Banks was charged, appeared in court and was bailed after pleading not guilty to the allegations.
Then in July last year, a member of the public found a package in a drainage pipe. Police found drugs inside it and, critically, the 22-year-old's fingerprints were found on the pipe.
Banks later told probation he began using steroids before selling to friends.
That led to recreational drug use and further sales, which supported his training regime, gym costs, food and supplement intake.
“What an absolute tragedy all this is for you, your family, your associates, your friends... A man with all the talents, hard work, ability and you're sitting in the dock where I have to send you to prison for a term of over 3 years,” Judge Phillips said.
“In the back of my court today are the people you wrote about in a letter to me. About how they've supported you, raised you, taught you disciplines in your life, all of which you've thrown into the wind.”
Banks' mother wrote a letter to the court calling her son trusting and naïve, but Judge Phillips rejected that explanation.
“He was doing this for greed,” he said.
Defence counsel John Westgate said his client was not the typical person the court dealt with on drug offences.
“Often you find people with no education, no support and no opportunities,” he said.
“He's a young man who has great potential. He has insight, he's intelligent and has great family support.”
Mr Westgate said the student was “seduced” into the situation and made a series of bad decisions that landed him in court.
“Up until that point he was doing really well. He was at university, he was well liked, well respected,” he said.
Banks was jailed for three years and four months.
