Woman admits drug making

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 4

Woman admits drug making

A housewife who participated in the manufacture of morphine in. a Waipara farmhouse was convicted and committed in custody to the High Court for sentence on a date to be fixed. In the District Court yesterday Judge Fraser convicted Judith Margaret Smith, aged 26 (Mr S. C. Barker), of manufacturing morphine, possessing cannabis leaf, and two syringes and seven needles, at Waipara, on August 3, and with supplying methadone to a prison inmate on August 16. The offences were admitted. Findings by detectives at the Waipara farmhouse indicated large scale manufacturing "on a scale not seen around Christchurch before,” said Sergeant A. T. Smith. Fewer instances of hard drugs being imported into New Zealand in the last two years had led to the growth of “home lab” manufacturing plants, he said. To prevent these, the police had begun monitoring the sales of analgesics and

chemicals used in such manufacture. As a result of several pharmacy burglaries such ingredients had, however, become available. When, as a result of continuing inquiries, detectives made a search of the Waipara farmhouse they found the kitchen set up with apparatus for the illicit manufacture of drugs, Sergeant Smith said. Two male associates, jointly charged with Smith, in the manufacture of morphine have already appeared before the courts. Smith; a drug addict, was unco-operative and said she had assisted but was not the organiser of the operation. The needles, syringe, and cannabis leaf were found in her possession, said Ser-, geant Smith. On August 16 Smith went to Addington prison to see her husband. She was seen to drop a small packet in front of her husband. This was seized and found to contain 5 milligrams of methadone. In explanation the defendant said her husband, had contacted her in a dis-

tressed condition and she had taken the drug to give him relief. The husband was on a methadone programme prior to going to prison, said Sergeant Smith. SUPPRESSION REFUSED Interim suppression of the name of a youth, aged 19, charged with raping a woman, aged 28, was refused by Judge Fraser. It was sought by counsel (Mr J. Hobbs), for his client, Jeffrey Joshua Gotz, a process worker, who is said by the police to have committed the offence on November 3. In seeking suppression Mr Hobbs said Gotz was a first offender. A number of medicaF matters had yet to be explored and a psychiatric report to be obtained. Gotz was remanded in custody, without plea, to November 12. The charge relates to an incident early on Saturday when a woman, threatened by a man with a carving knife, was allegedly raped in the bathroom of her Dallington home. THEFT INQUIRY Further charges may be pending against an interior

decorator facing a charge of stealing an antique grandfather clock, and antique leather chair, to a total value of J 7500. This was stated by Sergeant Smith when he sought a remand to November 19 for William Ernest Smith, aged 54. No plea was entered by Smith who is charged with stealing the items between May 31 and June 30. Bail was set at $lOOO. CHARGES DENIED Charges of managing a Salisbury Street brothel, offering herself as a prostitute, possessing cannabis leaf, and receiving 24 women’s suits, valued at $4BO, were denied by a masseuse, aged 25. The defendant (Mr G. E. Langham), was remanded at large to February 4, next year, for a defended hearing. The charges were to have been the subject of a depositions hearing yesterday. PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for eight months was the sentence given to Gary Grace, aged 35, described as a

company director, earlier convicted of cultivating cannabis. Counsel (Mr J. S. Fairclough), said the charge arose after a burglar took the defendant’s cannabis plant, as well as other of his client’s chattels. When the police searched the defendant’s flat they found a number of cannabis plants in various stages of growth. It was not a large scale operation and the cannabis was for the defendant’s own use, said Mr ■ Fairclough. DEFERRED SENTENCE A man, aged 24, who admitted having sexual intercourse with a girl, aged 15, was given a 12-month deferred sentence. The offence took place on the afternoon of October 6 when the complainant, who knew the defendant, called at his address. The girl was a willing party, according to the police summary. For the sake of the stepdaughters of his client, counsel (Mr P. D. Lublow), sought, and obtained, final suppression of his client’s name.

DRUG CHARGE Bail was set at $2OOO for an unemployed man charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply on November 3. Peter Lafferty, aged 21, was remanded to November 12. He did not plead. (Before Judge Frampton) $6OO FINE A youth, aged 18, convicted earlier of causing the death of another youth, Anthony Mark McCrystal, by dangerously riding his motor-cycle on May 2, was fined $6OO when he appeared for sentence. In addition, Peter Gary Arona (Mr I. J. Brooks), was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 18 months. McCrystal was a pillion passenger on the defendant’s motor-cycle when it collided with a- car at the junction of Brynley Street and Trevor Street, Hornby, on the night of May 2. Arona was also convicted on a charge of carrying a pillion passenger when not licensed to do so, and riding a motor-cycle without lights.