Vulnerable young drug dealer’s mates ‘not real friends’
A 24-year-old man has been told by a judge to never forget his experience in jail, and possibly find some new friends, as he sets out to lead a life without drugs.
Sheridan Peter Le Varrewaters, 24, spent five months in prison before being sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday to seven months’ home detention for dealing and growing drugs.
Police searched Le Varrewaters’ home while he was wanted for possessing cannabis, and found enough to charge him with possession of the drug for supply, supplying cannabis and offering to supply MDMA.
Multiple cannabis plants, ranging from seedlings to fully mature plants, were found, some growing under lights and with extraction fans.
There were 14 lots of cannabis bagged up for sale, unused bags, and a list of figures the judge said was likely a ‘‘tick list’’ – lists often used by drug dealers to keep track of the amounts buyers still owed.
A search of Le Varre-waters’ cellphone found he sold cannabis at least 64 times, and offered to supply it another 63 times. There was also evidence he offered to supply MDMA 19 times.
Defence lawyer Fergus Steedman said Le Varre-waters had spent time at a residential rehabilitation facility in his teens for ‘‘major cannabis issues’’ and emotional problems.
Ending up in prison had been a wake-up call, seeing him mature and go through enormous change, Steedman said.
The search of his house found cannabis growing in his flatmates’ rooms, but Le Varre-waters had told police everything belonged to him, Steedman said.
Judge Lance Rowe said he found Le Varee-waters to be ‘‘quite a vulnerable young man’’ who needed help. ‘‘I don’t think you need to be in a prison cell any longer to appreciate what happens if you deal drugs.’’
The judge said he did not know if Le Varre-waters was ‘‘taking the rap’’ for other people in the house, but hoped he had got the message clearly.
‘‘Don’t come back here and do not sell drugs. Anyone who encourages you to do so is not your friend.’’