Blackmail earns gambling addict 21-month jail term

Rotorua salesman Zane Price had gambled most of his money away. Needing cash, he turned to blackmail.

But he was caught when police set up a sting using fake cash and, this week in the High Court at Rotorua, Price, 31, was jailed for 21 months, although Justice Rodney Hansen gave him leave to apply for home detention.

In June, he shocked a Rotorua businessman by telling him he would reveal "highly embarrassing information" about him. The victim was also told that he was being watched.

Price demanded $25,000, telling the man if he did not pay up he would suffer personal injury and his property would be burned.

"Your life is about to get very messy," Price stated in one letter.

"We will do the damage as promised if the $25,000 is not delivered."

The businessman, whose name was suppressed, had feared losing his family, livelihood and reputation if Price had revealed the information he claimed to have.The information was suppressed and the victim's family do not know he was being blackmailed.

The victim, who did not know Price, went to the police.

On July 3, cash was left at a drop-off point on a rural road and police arrested Price when he collected the money.

Justice Hansen said Price had had an unsettled childhood and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1997 and, at times, would either forget or choose not to take his medication.

He had stopped taking his medication two months before his offending.

"Your bipolar disorder is not strictly a mitigating factor but is something I can and will take into account in determining the appropriate sentence."

Price had earned a high income at times but had a gambling addiction and frittered his money away, including a $6000 loan.

Price has 20 previous convictions for various offences including one for importing a Class A drug.

A probation officer said the risk of Price reoffending was high.

The court was told that a few days after Price pleaded guilty to the blackmail charge on July 13 he sent a letter of apology to the victim and also asked him to drop the charge.

Price's lawyer, Jonathan Temm, said despite some of the contents of that letter, Price was remorseful and had not contacted the victim again.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)