Meth addict’s criminal spiral

For 22 years Ethan Briskie kept a clean rap sheet.

But that record has now lost its shine after drugs took hold and he was arrested in a series of highlypublicised Taranaki raids last year.

‘‘What on earth has happened to your life, bringing all of this about?’’ Judge John Macdonald asked Briskie, who appeared in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday facing sentencing on 12 charges.

‘‘From where I sit it sounds like methamphetamine has come into your life,’’ he said, connecting the 46-year-old’s sudden spiral to drugs.

Before Labour Day last year, Briskie, of Waitara, had five convictions, all traffic matters more than 20 years old.

Then, during the October 22 raids, when the region’s organised crime group swooped on multiple addresses, seizing drugs, cash and vehicles, he was one of three people arrested.

Also arrested was prominent businessman Lauchlan MacMillan, at the time the owner of the region’s branch of the building company, Fowler Homes.

Briskie was charged with possession of meth, or P, after being found with 0.8 grams of the drug he claimed was for his personal use.

But that was just the beginning of his offending.

Over the following six months Briskie racked up a further 11 charges in a number of incidents, some of which included driving while disqualified and being found in possession of a stolen vehicle.

On April 5, his offending came to a head when he was stopped by police while driving.

But being behind the wheel while disqualified, again, was the least of Briskie’s worries as a search of his car turned up a number of weapons and drugs.

He was found to have on him a samurai sword, a baseball bat, a pocket knife, 2.39gms of meth, 2gms of cannabis, 1gm of cannabis oil, 59 codeine tablets and a P pipe.

Later, a search of Briskie’s cellphone showed he was gearing up to sell a quarter of a gram of P.

Since the offending, Judge Macdonald said Briskie had resisted the idea of taking responsibility for his actions and had blamed others.

‘‘You blame even the availability of drugs in the community. That of course involves a decision on your part to get involved in possessing those drugs,’’ the judge said.

However, Briskie admitted the 12 charges, which include possession of meth, offer to supply meth, receiving stolen property and possession of an offensive weapon, at an earlier hearing.

For the offending, Briskie was sentenced to six months’ home detention, ordered to complete 200 hours’ community work and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Unpaid fines totalling $2683 were remitted.

Judge Macdonald said the sentence would give Briskie an opportunity to deal with his drug issues.

Lauchlan MacMillan remains in custody where he awaits trial on various meth-related charges.