A three-member Northland family syndicate jailed for more than 37 years in total for manufacturing methamphetamine in rental accommodation has appealed against their sentence.
Jane Crompton, 48, her brother Marc Ethelstone, 34, and her partner Dean Frederick Theobald, 42, went to the Court of Appeal this week to argue sentences handed to them by the High Court in Whangarei last July were excessive. The trio were found guilty by a jury in April 2014.
Justice Mark Woolford sentenced Crompton to 14 years and six months, Theobald to 13 years and three months and Ethelstone to nine years and eight months. Minimum non-parole periods were seven years and three months, six years and seven months, and four years and 10 months respectively.
Crompton was found guilty on four charges of manufacturing methamphetamine; three of possessing precursor substances to make the drug; five of possessing equipment to make the drug; five of possessing material to make the drug; two of possessing methamphetamine for supply; four of unlawfully possessing a firearm; two of unlawfully possessing ammunition; four of supplying meth; 13 of offering to supply meth and one of conspiracy to supply the drug. She was found not guilty on five counts of offering to supply methamphetamine and one of supplying the drug.
Ethelstone was found guilty on two charges of manufacturing meth; one of possessing methamphetamine for supply; three of possessing equipment to manufacture the drug; three of possessing material to manufacture the drug; two of possessing a firearm; and one each of possessing ammunition, possessing precursor materials, possessing a restricted weapon (a stun gun), and possessing cannabis for supply and attempting to manufacture methamphet-amine.
