Light bulb moment for judge
A man has been caught with light bulbs in his backpack used for smoking methamphetamine.
Richard Donald Lancaster, 27, was caught with two light bulbs and two glass straws in a backpack during a police search on July 7.
Police said the light bulbs had black marks on them, showing they had been used to smoke methamphetamine.
The glass straws also showed signs of being used to smoke methamphetamine.
He told police they were his but he used them so long ago he forgot they were there, police said.
Lancaster, a vineyard worker of Blenheim, admitted possessing the utensils at the Blenheim District Court on Monday.
Judge Bill Hastings said he had never heard of light bulbs being used in such a manner.
Lancaster’s lawyer Bryony Millar said it was fairly common.
‘‘It is one of the signs to look for if you’re in real estate, sir.’’
Lancaster was already serving a sentence of supervision from two months ago for an assault charge, which had conditions to attend an anger management course.
He had $12,428 in outstanding fines. ’’I think there is truth in the statement you just forgot about them and you haven’t used them since February,’’ Judge Hastings said.
‘‘I am concerned, though, about your drug use.’’
He had previous convictions for drugs in 2009, 2006 and 2002.
Judge Hastings cancelled his existing sentence of supervision and replaced it with a new sentence of six months’ supervision, with conditions to complete drug and alcohol assessment and treatment, and to continue his anger management counselling.
His fines were swapped for 150 hours’ community work.
Criminal neglect
Aman and woman jointly charged with criminal neglect have reappeared in court. Police said the pair lived in Marlborough and were caregivers for the victim, a child aged under 18. They appeared at the Blenheim District Court on Tuesday for the second time, facing two joint charges of criminal neglect. The man seriously wounded the victim on June 22 last year, police said. Both the man and the woman failed to protect the victim from injury and failed to provide medical care and treatment for the child, police said. The man also faced a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and possession of three glass methamphetamine pipes. They did not enter a plea. The woman’s lawyer, Rennie Gould, said police needed another month or two to finish compiling 650 pages of evidence, before it could be released to defence and prosecution lawyers. Interim name suppression was granted to protect two of the woman’s four children. The victim was now in the care of Child, Youth and Family services. Their bail conditions prevented them from contacting the victim and three other children previously in their care. They would reappear in court on October 4.
Track upgrade
The council has agreed to provide $290,000 for an upgrade to the Queen Charlotte Track, despite some opposition from people concerned the track would attract aggressive cyclists. At a meeting of the community and finance committee on Tuesday it was agreed the council would provide the money, subject to the funding being matched by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The upgrade project would aim to restore track-user numbers back to 2010 levels and would provide information for track use and distance indications to food services and accommodation.
Animal cruelty
Two Marlborough men have been jointly charged with animal cruelty. Travis Scott, 18, and Rawiri Saan, 24, have been charged with wilfully illtreating a goat in Picton. Police said the men allowed their dogs to maul the goat for prolonged period, causing it to die, sometime between March and May. Scott and Saan appeared at the Blenheim District Court on Tuesday. Scott, a builder of Ngakuta Bay, denied the charge and was remanded at large until a case review hearing on October 10. Saan, a labourer of Picton, also facing cannabis and driving charges, did not enter a plea and was remanded on bail to the same date.
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