A 29-year-old man has appeared before the courts after a frantic confrontation with police led to him swallowing a bag of meth.

Connor Neil Malins, who appeared in the Invercargill District Court on Wednesday, had a warrant for his arrest after failing to appear in Pukekohe District Court at the start of the year and was located by police in the Kentish Hotel in Waiuku on January 28.

Attending officers told Malins to put his hands behind his back. However, he proceeded to step backwards, leading to a scuffle with police.

He then reached into his top pocket and took out a ziploc bag containing meth and put it in his mouth.

Police took him to the ground and told him to spit it out, but Malins refused and swallowed the bag.

He was ordered to lie on his stomach with his hands behind his back but he resisted, thrashing around.

It took three police officers to put him in handcuffs.

Judge Mark Williams said Malins was clearly an addict and the judge hoped the sentence he imposed would be “a chance for a clean slate”.

“Any hint of not complying, I will have you brought back to court and sentenced.”

Malins asked if he would receive an ankle monitor, to which Judge Williams said that he would not, but emphasised he was skating on thin ice.

“Mess this up and I’m bringing you back … the bracelet will be the least of your worries.”

Judge Williams sentenced Malins to 150 hours’ community work and 12 months’ intensive supervision.

tayler.mutton@alliedmedia.co.nz