No jail for drug dealing former prison boss

The Corrections Association says there is not a problem with staff breaking the law at Wellington's Rimutaka Prison. File photo / Anthony Phelps

A former senior manager at Upper Hutt's Rimutaka Prison has been sentenced to 12 months' home detention for dealing cannabis to inmates.

Jeffrey Reid, 45, was sentenced at Wellington District Court today after pleading guilty in May to cultivating cannabis and conspiracy to deal drugs.

Reid worked for the Corrections Department for about 20 years and was a unit manager in charge of a high-security section.

He was arrested after a month-long investigation at the prison in 2009.

A deadlocked room at his Wellington home was found to contain a hydroponic cannabis growing operation with halogen lamps, fans, plant nutrients and thermometers.

One of the inmates he supplied, Matthew Kidman, sparked a two-day manhunt in 2008 when he skipped bail on firearms charges.

Police today said Reid's sentence sent a "clear signal" to the community.

"When offending of this nature is identified, police do and will continue to deploy necessary resources to investigate it thoroughly," Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson, of Wellington district covert operations group, said.

"We will continue to work towards reducing the harm caused by drugs such as cannabis, whether that be inside a prison or amongst our communities."

- NZPA