KEY POINTS:
A 24-year-old man had a glass jar of tear gas at his house in the Christchurch suburb of Edgeware because he "thought it was cool to have around".
When police raided the Hills Road property, Lawerence (CORRECT) David Shufflebotham told them he had got the tear gas from a friend who was a farmer. The jar was labelled, "Do not touch."
It was one of two restricted weapons charges Shufflebotham was sentenced on today. He had earlier been found with a Tazer - an electronic weapon for immobilising people - and he admitted firing an airgun near a house, at targets on a suburban fence.
Methamphetamine and codeine, the tear gas jar, and the airgun and pellets were found at the property when the police did a series of raids in November.
At the time of the raids, Shufflebotham was already on bail for possession of a shotgun and ammunition, and cultivating cannabis.
He had pleaded guilty to all these charges and also admitted a serious commercial burglary in which a car worth $36,000 and property worth $25,000 were taken.
Christchurch District Court judge Michael Crosbie noted that the car had been found by police when it was left on the street because it would not fit into an acquaintance's garage.
He said the pre-sentence report made "fairly dismal reading" and noted Shufflebotham had 13 previous convictions including receiving stolen property, burglary, discharging an airgun, and possession of an offensive weapon.
Shufflebotham was jailed for two years and eight months and Judge Crosbie accepted defence counsel David Ruth's submission that no reparation order was feasible.
Beside Shufflebotham in the dock was his partner, Melanie Joy Austin, 21, a sickness beneficiary, who had admitted charges of receiving stolen property, possessing cannabis for supply, and procuring the class B drug ecstasy.
Austin had been selling cannabis on a limited scale for a year, but had now given up the drug entirely, the pre-sentence report stated.
Defence counsel Lee-Lee Heah opposed any non-association order that would prevent her seeing Shufflebotham. Austin said she could see past the offending to the positive aspects of his personality. She loved him and was committed to the relationship.
Judge Crosbie imposed four months community detention with a 7pm to 7am curfew, 150 hours of community work, and supervision for nine months when she must attending treatment or counselling as directed.
- NZPA
