Worker jailed for letting P cooks use farm

Photo / Martin Sykes

A farm worker allowed gang members to manufacture "P" on the property where he worked in return for free drugs.

Te Aratia Collier, 44, was sentenced to four years and nine months in jail by Justice Pamela Andrews in the High Court at Rotorua on one count each of manufacturing methamphetamine and supplying the Class A drug.

Collier had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.

The Whakatane man let gang members to "cook" methamphetamine on at least 10 occasions when his employers were away.

He also provided security for the equipment used between cooks in return for some of the drug, the court was told.

Justice Andrews said Collier was addicted to methamphetamine and got involved only because he would receive free drugs.

Although he was remorseful over his involvement, which he had expressed in a letter to the court, he had to be jailed, Justice Andrews said.

"The social cost to families and the community from methamphetamine is completely destructive."

Between last November and June gang members operated a clandestine laboratory on the property to manufacture about 400g of the drug and in return Collier received about 1g of P after each cook. He kept some for himself and sold the rest.

When police searched the property looking for a lab or drugs, they could not find any evidence of a laboratory but Collier told them where to find the equipment.

Crown prosecutor Hayley Booth noted Collier's willingness to help police and requested the court consider a starting point of between 9 and 10 years in jail.

Collier's lawyer Roger Gowing told the court his client's role was limited and asked the court to consider a starting point of eight years' jail.

- APN News & Media