Jury unable to deliver verdict on meth manufacturing charge

File photo / NZ Herald

A jury has been unable deliver a verdict in the trial of a Rotoiti couple accused of manufacturing methamphetamine but has found the pair guilty of a number of other charges.

Katrina Anne Smith aka Hume, 41, and Colin Richard Davis, 45, had been on trial in the Rotorua District Court after pleading not guilty to charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor substances, possession of materials used to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of equipment for manufacturing.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charge of manufacturing methamphetamine but found the pair guilty of the other three charges.

Davis was also found guilty of a charge of cultivating cannabis after cannabis plants were found growing in bush behind the house where the couple were living at the time.

The guilty verdicts relate to offending committed between January 1, 2008, and February 10, 2009.

The jury deliberated for close to six hours on Wednesday before returning their verdicts about 9.30pm.

Davis had earlier pleaded guilty to another charge of cultivating cannabis. Smith had pleaded not guilty to that charge

and was discharged following an application by her lawyer.

Judge Phillip Cooper has ordered a retrial on the charge of manufacturing methamphetamine and remanded the pair on bail to a callover on March 15.

The pair have been remanded on bail for sentencing on May 22.