‘Success led to downfall’; man jailed for six years

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 5

‘Success led to downfall’; man jailed for six years

Four years after leaving school a young man had risen to the rank of senior teller in the Post Office but then he ventured out into the glamorous world of pop music. He formed a promotions company for bands which was successful, but it was that very success which put him in the dock, Mr Justice Cook was told in the High Court yesterday. Brian John Cassin, aged 24, a self-employed company manager, was jailed for six years, fined $l5OO and was ordered to forfeit $4600 which was the proceeds of drug dealing on two charges of supplying LSD.

As His Honour finished pronouncing sentence a young woman rushed out of the Court in tears.

Reading the police statement Mr G. K. Panckhurst said that on July 8 a woman asked Cassin if he would supply her with a large number of LSD trips which were going to be financed by her boyfriend. She arranged to purchase 1000 for $5.50 each. Cassin told her that the price would be lower if there was a permanent arrangement to buy 1000 trips at a time. On the morning of July 10 Cassin put a sample trip in an envelope in the woman’s letterbox. There was a note on the envelope stating that 1000 trips would cost $4.60 each.

The drug squad was aware' of Cassin’s activities and it was decided that a plainclothes policeman should pose as the woman’s boyfriend. The first consignment of 200 trips were purchased for $lOOO in notes, the num-

bers of which had been recorded.

The next day 800 trips were purchased by the woman for $3600 in a city hotel car-park, Mr Panckhurst said. When the vehicle Cassin was travelling in was stopped by the police he was found to have $3600 stuffed in the top of his; jacket. At the station he made a full statement about the supply of the 1000 trips, but denied that it was to be a permanent arrangement, said Mr Panckhurst. Mr H. D. P. Van Schreven, for Cassin, said that initially the prisoner had been reluctant to supply LSD to the woman, and it was only after repeated calls by her over some weeks that he came to the first arrangement. The police could have arrested him after the supply of the first 200 but with the connivance and co-oper-ation of the drug squad he was allowed to hand over the further 800 a short time later.

It was strenuously denied by Cassin that there was any permanent arrangement for the supply of the drug. His share ' of the proceeds was to be $5OO. He nv>w realised the stupidity of his actions. He was a first offender.

After leaving school Cassin worked for the Post Office for four years and rose to the rank of senior teller. He then set up a company called Ezzy Promotions which arranged bands for hotels, weddings, socials and similar functions. The company traded very successful-

i ly. “But it was the very success of the company which [could have resulted in CasI sin’s downfall. Because of it he came into contact with persons in the drug world and now stands in the dock facing imprisonment,” Mr Van Schreven said. Cassin was to marry the girl he had been living with and it was most unlikely that he would offend again. He had only moderate assets and owed about $lO,OOO to the Inland Revenue Department but the tax liability which arose from the operation of Ezzy Promotions was disputed.

While Cassin realised that he had to go to prison, counsel submitted that a fine in addition would not be appropriate. He asked that a concurrent term be imposed on the two charges as they really arose from the one offence. His Honour said that the charges were serious as they involved a class A drug. Whether Cassin agreed readily or not, upon being approached he had agreed to supply large amounts of

LSD and as many as 1000 trips at a time were mentioned. Two. sales were made for a total of $lOOO.

“Clearly you had a substantial and readily available supply or source of supply. It is fortunate for the community that you have been apprehended,” his Honour said.

He noted what counsel had said that although there had been two instances of supply they were really part of one transaction involving 1000 tablets.

“I am sure that counsel intended no criticism of the police because what they have achieved in Christchurch in recent times is to be commended,” said his Honour.

Cassin had pleaded guilty, co-operated fully with the police, had a good family background and was intelligent. There could be none of the excuses which might be made for some who had not had the chances he had had. There was no need for him to engage in drug dealing other than for personal gain.