Airman found guilty
A court martial military panel has found one air man guilty of offering and consuming methamphetamine and acquitted another of trying to buy the drug.
Aircraftman Morgan Robert Davies and Aircraftman Cameron Fairbank, at a court martial at O¯ hakea Air Force Base, pleaded guilty to drug charges, but denied taking, supplying or trying to buy meth.
On Monday, Davies pleaded guilty to eight charges of offering and supplying MDMA, two of consuming MDMA and one of consuming ketamine.
He entered not-guilty pleas to a charge of offering meth to Fairbank on October 1, 2016, and to consuming meth on March 4, 2017, but the panel of military members last night found Davies guilty on both charges.
Fairbank pleaded not guilty to trying to buy meth off Davies and the panel of military members returned a not-guilty verdict for this.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of offering to supply
MDMA and a charge of trying to buy
MDMA from Davies.
In his closing address yesterday, Prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk said references to ‘‘speed’’ between the two men were references to meth.
Vanderkolk said Davies clearly distinguished between the types of drugs he consumed on March 4, which showed he not only knew what he was talking about, but also knew what he had taken.
‘‘They are talking about speed and when they are talking about speed they are talking about meth, but they are not getting the best possible quality.’’
He said the Misuse of Drugs Act didn’t distinguish on quality – it distinguished on the type of drugs.
Davies’ lawyer Steve Winter said evidence given earlier in proceedings showed how there were variations among drug users about what drugs were called. ‘‘Given that speed itself is its street name, there can be some unrest about what drug is being talked about when they purchase speed.’’
Defence lawyer Paul Murray said Fairbank accepted he tried to obtain a drug, but didn’t accept it was meth.
A scientist who tested white powder found in bags in an airman’s room said two bags had traces of meth inside them.
Prosecution witness Stewart Edwards, an Institute of Environmental Science and Research scientist, said when tests were done on the white powder residue in three bags, results showed two contained traces of meth and one contained traces of MDMA.
The pair are appearing in front of Judge Duncan Harvey and a panel of six military members.
The court martial continues.