Homeless man with 'extreme meth problem' asks judge out of blue to send him to prison

A 22-year-old man appeared at the Westport District Court house today asking to be jailed.

Andy Junior Halliday, of no fixed abode, appeared outside the courthouse while court was in session.

Lawyer, Doug Taffs, who spoke with Halliday during an adjournment, later advised Judge Robert Murfitt that Halliday had asked to be imprisoned for his and the community's safety.

Halliday had an "extreme" methamphetamine (P) problem, no home and no means of transport, Mr Taffs said. The only way Halliday would stay clean was if he was locked up, he said.

Probation officer Kelly Ratahi said Halliday had been serving a supervision sentence, but had failed to comply with it.

Mr Taffs confirmed Halliday didn't think he was capable of complying - his addiction to P was too strong.

Halliday had also failed to complete his community work hours. No inroads had been made since June, when 46 out of 80 hours remained.

Ms Ratahi said another charge, breaching release conditions, was also hanging over Halliday, but little was known about it.

Judge Murfitt asked Halliday if the main reason for wanting to go to prison was so he could go "cold turkey".

Halliday replied "yeah pretty much".

Judge Murfitt said he was willing to indulge Halliday's request to be imprisoned for breaching his supervision conditions, but was reluctant to do so for the other charge.

He knew too little about the breach of release conditions charge, on which Halliday was due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on October 27.

"We don't often see this situation Mr Halliday," Judge Murfitt said.

Instead of sentencing Halliday to prison, Judge Murfitt remanded him until October 27 to appear at Christchurch District Court.

- Westport News