LSD case adjourned after police evidence

Press, 21 May 1987, Page 4

LSD case adjourned after police evidence

A depositions hearing continued in the District Court yesterday in which a Nelson couple are charged with conspiring to supply and import lysergide (LSD). Moray Ross Aitken, aged 32, a goldminer, of Happy Sam Community, Takaka, and Patricia Aitken, aged 25, a mother, of Pohara, appeared again yesterday before Justices of the Peace, Mr J. B. Andersen and Mrs C. M. Holmes. The accused are charged with conspiring with David Alisdair Jarvis and others to import and supply LSD.

Under cross-examina-tion, counsel for Moray Aitken, Mr B. J. Hart, asked Detective-Constable C. G. Mackay whether another officer was present taking notes when the accused was being interviewed at Takaka on July 30, 1986.

The Court had earlier heard that Aitken was taken to the Takaka Police Station for questioning and was later arrested after statements had been taken and he had listened to taped telephone conversations. Detective ' Constable Mackay said it did not happen until after the taking of the first statement.

Mr Hart asked if it was usual for interviewing officers to swap notes as to how things were progressing. “Yes, it happens in other occasions but I don’t consider it a usual practice,” the witness said. Mr Hart asked whether it had happened on this occasion. The witness said that it had not, and only an interview by DetectiveSergeant G. A. Lysaght took place in the area. Other interviews took place in Nelson or elsewhere but witness had no idea of any of the results of those. Mr Hart asked whether the witness had noted down every important fact. “No.”

“Why not?” Detective Constable Mackay said the notes taken at the interview were simply a memory aid to ensure that all important points were raised. Mr Hart asked when allegations of drug dealing were put to Aitken. Detective Constable Mackay said he specifically itemised the allegations independently when he covered the point about other people’s involvement. The statement was

clear to the accused who made a deliberate point of correcting and adding points in his own writing.

Detective Constable Mackay said he could not accept a suggestion that he knew before taking Aitken’s statement that Jarvis had made one to the police.

Mr Hart asked whether he agreed that nowhere in the transcripts of the tapes was there a specific statement by Jarvis stating that LSD tabs were supplied to Aitken. “Not in exactly those words but my interpretation is based on the transcripts.” Detective Sergeant Lysaght, of the Hawera C. 1.8., said that on July 3 he had gone to Patricia Aitken’s address at Pohara, near Takaka, with police officers and searched her house, as well as the surrounds. Patricia Aitken was not there. He was told that she was at the Happy Sam Community. She later denied any involvement in spite of statements made by others implicating her in the distribution of controlled drugs and the tape-recordings. The hearing has been adjourned until June 5. was continued.