KEY POINTS:
West Coasters traditionally package cannabis and whitebait in similar fashion, a defence lawyer claimed in Greymouth District Court yesterday.
Lawyer Doug Taffs made that analogy when Daryl William Hewer, aged 46, of Haast pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for supply. He was found in possession of 453g of cannabis when police searched his car at Haast on May 1, 2006.
He had three "deal bags" containing exactly 35g and the rest was in a larger bag.
The Crown said that was a clear indication that Hewer was intending to sell the drugs valued at $2500 to $5000, depending on the market.
However, Mr Taffs said Hewer's explanation that he intended to give the cannabis to friends was also credible.
Hewer was a whitebaiter and West Coasters traditionally packaged their whitebait in neat one-pound lots, even when they were giving it away.
"I don't buy that," Judge Brian Callaghan said to Hewer. "You pleaded guilty to possession for supply but now want to be sentenced on the basis that it was for your own use.
"I have to be sceptical about your neatly packaged bags despite what Mr Taffs said about whitebait."
Judge Callaghan said his original starting point was 15 months imprisonment but he discounted it to 10 months because Hewer had saved the state a trial by pleading guilty and, because he lived in remote Haast, home detention was not available.
- NZPA
