Meth pair avoid prison terms

Two men with drug convictions have been given the opportunity to turn their life around.

Two Whangarei men who acted as intermediaries in the manufacture of methamphetamine have been given a chance by the High Court to turn their lives around.

Ronald Allen Lum, 51, and Christopher Ngawati, 38, appeared in the High Court at Whangarei for sentencing this week after both were arrested as part of police Operation Firebird that started in November 2012.

Lum earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of supplying a precursor substance in the manufacture of methamphetamine and another of theft. Ngawati admitted to one charge of supplying a precursor substance. Two others - Matthew Alcock and William Croft - were also arrested and will appear for a disputed facts hearing on May 5.

A covert police operation began on November 20, 2012 ,of a property on Matawaia-Maromaku Rd, south of Whangarei, and police installed a camera and surveillance equipment at Alcock's property. Lum and Alcock removed the camera, worth $8084, in June 2013 and threw it in a swamp after removing its memory card. Police retrieved text messages Lum and Ngawati exchanged between January and June 2013 in which discussions centred around the purchase of toluene - a precursor substance used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Lum's lawyer Chris Muston said given his client's history of compliance on electronic bail and little previous history for like offending, the end sentence could come within home detention range.

Doug Blaikie, representing Ngawati, said the probation report was a positive one and Ngawati had been on electronically monitored sentences in the past.

Toluene was legally available at retail outlets, he said.

Justice Peter Woodhouse said since it was a pivotal point in both men's lives, he wanted to give them an opportunity to move away from crime. Both were sentenced to six months' supervision and six months' community detention with curfew from 10pm to 7am every day.

Lum was given 40 hours' community work and must pay $4000 reparation to police for the camera theft.