Gang-linked drug-dealing Rotorua mum: Judge says baby's birth no excuse for lighter sentence

A drug-addicted drug-dealing mum who gave birth to her third daughter in prison tried to get her jail sentence reduced by saying her baby's birth has given her motivation to change.

But Judge Eddie Paul has refused, telling Sterling Stephens he would have thought she would have made a change "two daughters ago".

Stephens appeared in the Rotorua District Court for sentencing on April 7 after previously pleading guilty to four serious drug-dealing charges and a raft of other charges.

The Crown charges included a representative charge of possession of methamphetamine for supply, conspiring to supply methamphetamine, conspiracy to sell a class C drug and a representative charge of possession of cannabis for sale.

She also pleaded guilty to a range of police charges including obtaining a document for pecuniary advantage, possession of cannabis, resisting police, failing to give her name and address, possession of methamphetamine, possession of utensils used for consuming drugs, driving while suspended and failing to appear in court.

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Judge Paul said Stephens' drug dealing was discovered through 13 conversations that were detected by police.

It was identified that she possessed 2.35g of methamphetamine for supply and conspired to supply 5.5g of methamphetamine. She also possessed 70g of cannabis for sale and conspired to sell 14g of cannabis.

After her arrest she was remanded in custody and on October 6 last year she gave birth to her third daughter while in custody.

She told a pre-sentence report writer that she started smoking methamphetamine socially but started selling the drug to feed her habit.

She told the report writer she had past relationships with patched Mongrel Mob members and the father of her latest baby was a gang member who was also now in custody.

Judge Paul said Stephens had a good upbringing but went off the rails at secondary school when she started smoking cannabis - resulting in her being removed from two schools. She then graduated to methamphetamine and got involved with Mongrel Mob members.

Judge Paul said Stephens didn't have any suitable addresses for electronically-monitored bail so the only sentence he could impose was one of imprisonment.

He gave her discounts of 25 per cent for her guilty pleas and a further 25 per cent for addiction and cultural issues.

However, he refused to discount the sentence further when asked to by Stephens' lawyer, Matthew Jenkins.

Jenkins had told Judge Paul there were prospects for rehabilitation and she showed remorse and a motivation to change given the birth of her third child and to do the best for her daughters.

But Judge Paul disagreed.

"I note Miss Stephens' motivation is her daughter. I would have thought two daughters ago she should have been motivated to make change. I form the view her desire to change is more aspirational rather than real or tested so I don't extend any discount for remorse or rehabilitation."

He then sentenced her to one year and four months' imprisonment.