Arthur Taylor denies drug, dishonesty charges, remains in jail

By Rob Kidd

Otago Daily Times·

17 Dec, 2020 12:59 AM3 mins to read

The charges stem from a four-month period during which Arthur Taylor was living in Wellington. Photo / Supplied

High-profile inmate Arthur Taylor has pleaded not guilty to a slew of serious charges, but will remain behind bars until at least next year.

The 64-year-old self-schooled jailhouse lawyer appeared before the Dunedin District Court this afternoon facing 12 serious charges, featuring drugs and dishonesty allegations, some of which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Originally paroled to Dunedin last year, the allegations stemmed from a four-month period during which Taylor was living in Wellington.

Police informed Taylor of the charges last week and he told the Otago Daily Times he was "flabbergasted" to get the news.

''These are serious bloody charges,'' he said.

Because the defendant had been interim-recalled to prison by the Parole Board, defence counsel Anne Stevens, QC, was unable to make a bail application.

Taylor was initially paroled to Dunedin when he was granted early release in February 2019 after 19 previous denials by the board while serving a prison term of 17 years.

He then moved to Wellington at the end of the year where he was charged with possessing methamphetamine.

Taylor will defend that charge at a judge-alone trial before the Wellington District Court in February.

Earlier this month, the Parole Board opted not to interim recall the defendant but its stance changed this week and he has been behind bars at the Otago Corrections Facility for several days

Taylor attempted to overturn that decision and argued before the High Court at Dunedin yesterday that he had been unlawfully imprisoned.

Justice Rachel Dunningham declined the application.

Taylor is scheduled to have a full recall hearing in front of the Parole Board – to determine whether he should continue serving his previous sentence – in January. That sentence expires in 2022.

If the Parole Board refuses to recall Taylor to prison in the new year, Judge Kevin Phillips said he could apply for bail immediately.