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A Te Puke man caught selling cannabis on the side of the road to passing motorists was granted bail - only to be found in a car again 12 days later with 30 tinnies hidden in his underwear.
Darren Rota, 43, who admitted two charges of possessing cannabis for supply and one charge of supplying the drug, was jailed for 22 months when he appeared in Tauranga District Court.
Between March and November last year, Te Puke police received several complaints regarding Rota and other associates selling cannabis tinnies to passing motorists.
About 7am on November 22, police searched Rota's Te Kahika Rd home. They found two plastic bags containing 32g of cannabis pre-packed into tinnies, utensils, plus $1220 cash, in a flax bush.
Rota was arrested, charged and released on strict bail conditions.
But at 4pm on December 3, police found Rota sitting in a Volvo parked on the corner of SH2 and Te Matai Rd in Te Puke.
They searched the car and found $140 cash, zip- lock bags and drug utensils. Concealed in Rota's underwear there was also a zip lock bag containing 30 cannabis tinnies.
Rota told police he had found the cannabis lying on the ground prior to their arrival.
He planned to defend the charges, but pleaded guilty on February 19.
Crown prosecutor Heidi Wrigley told Judge Peter Rollo on Wednesday that Rota had two prior convictions.
Defence lawyer Craig Tuck said Rota was taking a pragmatic approach, but had hoped to be eligible for home detention.
Judge Rollo told Rota that given his "ill- advised" pattern of offending - including offending while on bail - imprisonment was the only option.
Burglar comes clean Sentencing was postponed for a Welcome Bay man this week so he could be driven around town by police to point out other burglaries he had committed.
Joshua Van Silhout, 22, was due to be sentenced in Tauranga District Court on Monday for two burglaries in Cambridge and Welcome Bay where $20,000 worth of property was stolen.
He had also admitted two charges each of threatening behaviour, driving while disqualified and one each of giving false details to police, converting a motor vehicle, theft and a breach of prison release conditions.
But his lawyer, Craig Tuck, said Van Silhout wanted to come clean on all outstanding criminal matters.
Judge Thomas Ingram agreed to adjourn sentencing to enable Van Silhout to be driven around the district with a police officer pointing out further places he had burgled.
On Wednesday he returned and pleaded guilty to a further eight burglary charges committed between October and February in Te Puna, Welcome Bay and Tauranga, which included him stealing a $2500 jet ski and eight computers from commercial premises.
None of the property has been recovered. Judge Ingram jailed him for two years and three months.
Cannabis seller stung A long-time cannabis user, who sold a tinnie to an undercover police officer during a sting operation, has been jailed for one year. Michelle Ann Barlow, 39, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court on Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to charges of selling cannabis and possession of cannabis for supply.
In December last year police mounted a sting operation after ongoing concerns about the sale and supply of drugs. They visited a number of Western Bay of Plenty addresses, including Barlow's Miller Rd address on December 11.
When two undercover officers visited about 2pm, Barlow handed over a tinnie to one of the officers in exchange for $20.
During a subsequent search, police found 30g of cannabis stored in eight tinfoil packages or tinnies.
Crown prosecutor Catherine Harold told Judge Peter Rollo given Barlow's "failure to learn" from two prior drug convictions, a term of imprisonment of between six to nine months was appropriate.
In May 2001, Barlow received a six-month suspended prison sentence and in June 2002 she was jailed for 18 months.
Judge Rollo considered whether he should decline jurisdiction and refer Barlow's case to the High Court, which attracts much higher maximum penalties for such charges.
But Barlow's lawyer, Craig Horsley, argued the likely sentence in the High Court - after taking into account any mitigating factors - would be near the one year mark.
Mr Horsley said his client accepted the one year maximum sentence of imprisonment permitted in the District Court was appropriate.
Upon her release from prison, Barlow will be subject to six months of special release conditions - including undertaking drug and alcohol counselling, educational and vocational courses.
Barlow was also ordered to pay $20 reparation to the police within 21 days of being freed from prison.
- BOP TIMES
