Dunedin District Court
THE man had been in custody since the end of January so would be on release conditions in about three or four weeks, Judge Kevin Phillips said sentencing the 24yearold to six months’ jail.
Dillon Tai was before the Dunedin District Court yesterday convicted of breaching a special condition of intensive supervision in failing to abide by the rules of the Moana House residential rehabilitation programme, on December 14 last year. And, on cancellation of his intensive supervision, he was for resentence on a receiving offence on which it was imposed.
Public defender Maddy Phillipps acknowledged Tai had multiple previous breaches of communitybased sentences. But she said he did complete a term of community detention given with the sentence of intensive supervision.
Judge Phillips said Tai did not go to prison at the time as he said he wanted help. He had told Probation he wanted to mend his ways and end his drug addiction. He had been assessed as suitable for Moana House and was there from midJuly until his exclusion from the programme in December ‘‘after giving it as good a shot as you could’’.
‘‘You told Probation you were struggling with it,’’ the judge told him.
Tai was sentenced to six months’ jail on the breach and four months’ jail (concurrent) for receiving.
Release conditions, for six months from the sentence end, include a requirement to undergo a psychological assessment, any followup, and any other counselling, treatment, training, programmes or education, as directed.
Other convictions
Sarah Joyce Anderson (27), of Dunedin, breach of release conditions (Anderson was jailed for theft of drugs, assault with a weapon, disorderly behaviour and dangerous driving, released on December 13, started the Salvation Army Bridge residential programme, was removed from the course because she began a relationship with another person involved), January 8, ninemonths deferred sentence.
Vicky Charmaine Hammond (37), restaurant manager, of Dunedin, assault (Hammond argued with longterm partner, struck him in the face with packet of spaghetti, punched him again in the face, victim left address; no previous convictions), December 5, six months’ supervision.
Rene Peter Claxton (30), of Dunedin, possession of cannabis utensils (police found a cannabis grinder in his pocket after arresting him on an unrelated matter), July 24, 40 hours’ community work.