Teacher's life crashes down with drug conviction

8.00pm

David Arthur gave 23 years of his life to teaching before his world came crashing down.

Arthur was today found guilty of supplying a class A drug, methamphetamine, to four young people at a party by a jury in the High Court at Auckland.

Before his fall from grace he was known as a competent and able teacher and an amiable colleague; a quiet but authoritative man.

But some students say he had another side. A side that enjoyed the company of his teenage charges in a social scene.

It was this side of the 48-year-old that led him to videotape a party at his Glen Eden home where teenagers were freely smoking the drug 'P' (pure methamphetamine) last June. That video was a crucial piece of evidence that led to his conviction.

The jury deliberated seven hours before deciding its verdict following the five-day trial.

It cleared David Parker, a 39-year-old Huia truck driver and a long-time friend of Arthur's, on a charge of attempting to dissuade a witness from giving evidence by threats.

Justice Priestly remanded Arthur on bail before sentencing next month.

"You have been found guilty of what Parliament regards, and rightly so, as a serious offence. A time of imprisonment is inevitable," Justice Priestly warned Arthur.

Arthur, whose parents and brother were in court, showed no emotion as he was led from the court.

Every detail of the former Takapuna Grammar and Kelston Boys High teacher's life was exposed to minute scrutiny during the trial.

Questions over Arthur's sexuality, drinking and lifestyle were all raised.

But in his summing up Justice Priestly told the jury they had to put aside their personal feelings of anger and distaste.

"This is not a trial about the evils of drug-taking and P."

The only question was whether Arthur supplied P to teenagers at a party.

He was found guilty of supplying the Class A drug to four young people -- Cara Gane, William Barling, Alexandre (Sasha) Kouznetsov and one-time broadcaster Jonathan Marshall.

Arthur shot video footage of the four smoking the drug in his bedroom at a party on June 28 last year.

Mr Barling and Mr Kouznetsov later took the tape and handed it to a Sunday Star-Times reporter. It was used as a basis for a front page story and then handed to police.

Arthur had always denied the charges, with his defence describing the teenagers' evidence as a pack of lies.

Arthur had been teaching accountancy at Takapuna Grammar School since 2001. He resigned in September last year after the allegations came to light. His teacher registration has since expired and, according to the Teachers' Council website, it has not been renewed.

Justice Priestly asked for pre-sentence reports and Arthur will reappear at the High Court on August 3 for sentence.