Killer Beez gang boss continues court battle

Killer Beez boss Josh Masters appeared in the High Court at Auckland today facing charges including supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and money laundering. Photo / Greg Bowker

Killer Beez gang boss Josh Masters will continue his fight against serious drugs charges.

Masters appeared in the High Court at Auckland today facing charges including supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and money laundering.

He pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial, in September last year, and according to the Crown, had at one point agreed to be sentenced.

Masters then asked for a disputed facts hearing but is now asking that his guilty plea be revoked so the case can go to trial.

At his last appearance Crown prosecutor Bruce Northwood said Masters was "toying with the system".

His lawyer Ron Mansfield told APNZ today that he had lodged an application to vacate his client's guilty pleas.

Mr Mansfield said Masters was applying for legal aid but the process had taken longer than expected, because he had to trawl through all the previous court rulings and appearances.

Asked about his client, Mr Mansfield said: "He is fully cooperative, polite and courteous. I am having no trouble getting instructions."

Earlier today Justice Pamela Andrews gave Masters 48 hours to make an application to vacate his guilty plea.

Justice Andrews said that if Masters did not make the application by 4pm on Friday, he would be sentenced in November.

Masters and 43 other members of his gang were arrested in May, 2008 after a police raid which netted several hundred thousand dollars worth of methamphetamine.

Several members of the gang were jailed in 2009 on drugs charges.