A man with known gang connections was convicted on drugs charges in Oamaru yesterday.
Jamie Alexander Carey (32) admitted to possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and cannabis utensils, and cultivation of cannabis, in the Oamaru District Court yesterday.
Carey was also convicted of shoplifting two 18-volt Mako Li-ion battery packs from The Warehouse Oamaru on November 5.
At about 10.45pm on August 31, a police search of the vehicle Carey was driving revealed 0.4g methamphetamine in the passenger door.
Carey apologised and told them he thought it was MDMA.
About 7am on September 22, police carried out a search warrant at the defendant’s address and found a cannabis growing set-up in a small out-building at the rear of the property.
They found 21 LED lights attached to a wooden board, and a "grow lamp" suspended over seven cannabis plants.
In the defendant’s bedroom was a small ziplock bag containing cannabis and a glass bong.
On the day of the arrest, police released a statement saying the address had links to the Mongrel Mob, and a gang member had been taken into custody.
Defence counsel Michael de Buyzer said his client had entered guilty pleas at the first possible opportunity, his offending was at the low end of the scale and it had been eight years since his last court appearance.
He submitted the cannabis operation was not sophisticated, the plants were small, and the amount of cannabis found in the defendant’s bedroom was so insignificant, the amount was not stated in the police summary.
Judge Dominic Dravitzki said in all of the matters, the defendant had co-operated with police, and although he had an extensive criminal history, Carey had not appeared in court since 2013, which was "quite remarkable".
The judge said he still needed to impose a sentence that would denounce the offending.
Carey was sentenced to six months’ supervision and ordered to attend assessments for drug use and addiction.
He was to take part in any programme deemed necessary.
Destruction of all the cannabis cultivation equipment and the bong was ordered.
Carey denied a burglary charge from September 19, and a case review hearing was set for January 26 next year.
