Videotape key to 'P' case against teacher

A Takapuna Grammar School teacher made a videotape of young people smoking P during a party at his home, a jury in the High Court at Auckland heard yesterday.

David Norman Arthur, 48, is accused of supplying a Class A drug, methamphetamine, to four young people.

He is also accused with his friend, 39-year-old truck driver David Ashley Parker, of attempting to dissuade a witness with threats from giving evidence in a court of law.

In his opening address, prosecutor Mathew Downs said that the drug-smoking activities in Arthur's bedroom during the party at his Glen Eden home were caught on the videotape.

"Not surprisingly, one of the pieces of evidence you will need to consider is the videotape," Mr Downs told the jury.

He said that two teenagers, Cara Gane and William Barling, smoked P with Arthur a couple of weeks before the party.

Mr Barling, 18, told the jury that on the first occasion they went to see a flatmate of Arthur's and asked Arthur if he had anything to "perk them up".

He said that Arthur produced a pipe and some P.

It was the first time Mr Barling had smoked the drug.

It made him feel confident, happy and alive, but after an hour he wanted more.

At the party they again approached Arthur, and said he took them to his room and produced the drug and a pipe.

Mr Barling, who wants to follow a career in dance, said he had consumed the drug at Arthur's place on other occasions. No money ever changed hands.

Mr Downs said that those involved in the P-smoking at the party on June 28 last year were Mr Barling, Ms Gane, Alexandre (Sasha) Kouznetsov and one-time broadcaster Jonathan Marshall, who now describes himself as a licensed private investigator.

Mr Downs said that Marshall, who had "some experience with the media", spoke to a Sunday Star-Times reporter, Amie Richardson.

He said there would be evidence that pressure was put on some of the young people to co-operate and provide the tape to the newspaper.

Mr Downs said that following a meal at Iguacu in August last year, paid for by Ms Richardson, Mr Barling and Mr Kouznetsov went to Arthur's place and took the camera containing the tape without Arthur's knowledge or consent.

It was later given to the reporter and eventually to the police.

Mr Downs said that the month after the meal, Mr Barling received a threatening call on his mobile phone.

Mr Barling told the court that the caller said: "If you testify against David Arthur in a court of law, I will cut off your arms and legs and then send them to your parents in the post."

Mr Downs said that Parker made the call on Arthur's instructions or with his encouragement.

Parker's lawyer, Rose Thomson, acknowledged that Parker made the call, but said the words used and the intent were disputed.

Mr Barling denied her suggestion that Parker said he would "knock your f ... ing head off".

In addition to P-smoking, the video showed Mr Marshall entertaining the others by playing around and mimicking broadcaster Mike Hosking.

At one stage Arthur turned the camera on himself, but Mr Barling said that was not entertaining.

Arthur's lawyer, Paul Dacre, said that his client would give evidence that he had not been asked for drugs, did not offer any, that people were already in the room smoking P when he entered, and that Arthur did not supply P to anyone.

Mr Barling said that was untrue.

Mr Dacre questioned Mr Barling's memory of events, saying the reason he could not properly remember them was because his allegations never happened.

Mr Barling said that Richardson told them that if they did not get the videotape for her, she would publish their names on the front page of the Sunday Star-Times.

Asked by the judge, Justice John Priestley, if he felt he was being threatened, Mr Barling replied "very much so".

He told Mr Dacre that he went to get the tape because he felt he was being intimidated by Ms Richardson.

Publication of his name would not be good for his chosen career.

"She was threatening me and my friends with destruction of our lives at the age of 18," he said.

Mr Barling denied an accusation by Mr Dacre that he and the others had decided to blame Arthur so that they could save their own necks.

Mr Marshall also told the jury of the P-smoking at Arthur's place, his discussion with Ms Richardson and the tape being handed over to her.

The trial is set down for three or four days.


THE CHARGES

Teacher David Norman Arthur, 48, is accused of supplying a Class A drug, methamphetamine, to four young people.

Truck driver David Ashley Parker, 39, is accused of attempting to dissuade a witness with threats from giving evidence in a court of law.