A drug offender who lived at a house where a clandestine drug lab caught fire last year is apologetic about the effect his prison time will have on his children.
Christchurch man Shaun Conrad Reinke, 40, says he plans to work on his rehabilitation during his three yearsin jail, a sentence imposed by District Court Judge Michael Crosbie yesterday.
"Drugs have been the root of the problem for years," said defence counsel Paul Johnson. "He has now decided it is not the life for him."
During his months on remand, he has completed an NCEA qualification in food safety and customer service.
Crown prosecutor Ruth Thomas said the explosion and fire at the Hornby house were an example of the dangers posed by secret laboratories.
In the fire, one of the residents running the drug lab received burns over 50 per cent of his body. His medical treatment cost $1 million.
Judge Crosbie noted Reinke had sworn off illegal drug use, but spoke of the insidious effect of methamphetamine in the community and the inherent dangers of producing the drug in suburban homes.
He said it was a serious aggravating factor that Reinke had committed a second set of drug offences while on bail and had been found with a semi-automatic rifle when police searched his car, noticing drug paraphernalia on the front seat.
