Sport celebrity expected in court today

A high profile sport celebrity is expected to appear in Auckland District Court this afternoon over the alleged white-collar drugs bust.

The celebrity and former rugby league star Brent Todd were named on charge sheets of others facing drugs charges in connection with Operation Aqua.

The celebrities had their names suppressed but Todd, who has not been charged with any offences, asked for his name suppression to be lifted to "clear the air".

Meanwhile another man arrested in connection with the bust appeared in court today.

Phillip James Clark, 31, an Auckland bar manager, admitted attempting to procure the class A drug cocaine in June after a more serious count of conspiracy to supply was withdrawn. He was fined $250 and ordered to pay $130 court costs. 

During sentencing Judge Bernard Kendall said the maximum penalty was imprisonment of three months or a $500 fine but this case did not warrant imprisonment.

Judge Kendall took into account that Clark was a first offender and no actual drugs had been obtained. 

Earlier in the day Clark's lawyer David Jones, QC, told the judge he was asking for Clark to be convicted and to come up for sentence if called upon. That was essentially the same sentence imposed on high profile property developer David Henderson.

Prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch had told the judge that Clark phoned a co-defendant, who was under police surveillance, looking for a gram of cocaine.

He used a code 'Hats" referring to the drug. The alleged supplier said he did not even have a half. Three days later on June 27 Clark again phoned him asking if there were "any miracles over the weekend", referring to cocaine, but was told it was "a dead duck".

- NZ HERALD and NZPA