Drug-convict shuns rehabilitative sentence

A woman caught up in a police raid was found with methamphetamine and marijuana and has now told a court she has little interest in getting clean.

Tia Selina Thomas admitted not wanting to give up smoking cannabis when a probation officer spoke to her about whether supervision was an appropriate sentence.

Supervision provides an offender with rehabilitation opportunities to address the causes of their offending and motivate them to seek positive change.

But Thomas said she already knew what rehabilitative options were available to her and so such a sentence would be of little use.

The 50-year-old appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Wednesday facing a charge of possession of methamphetamine, also known as P, and possession of cannabis, both of which she admitted.

The charges arose from when Thomas was celebrating her birthday at a friend’s house in Tariki in September.

She stayed the night and was asleep in a sleepout on the Surrey Rd property when police arrived with a search warrant about 6.45am the following morning.

During the search a container holding 0.1 grams of methamphetamine was found under the mattress Thomas had been sleeping on. Inside her handbag was several zip lock bags and a container, all containing cannabis.

The total amount seized belonging to Thomas was 10.3g.

Defence lawyer Kylie Pascoe said Thomas was keen to put the ‘‘unfortunate matter’’ behind her and suggested a sentence of community work may be better suited.

Judge Lynne Harrison noted

Thomas had previous drug convictions and was a long-term user of cannabis.

She reiterated Thomas’ disinterest in receiving a sentence that could help her stop using drugs.

Instead Judge Harrison said she would order Thomas to do a ‘‘hefty’’ number of community work hours in the hope it would deter her from future drug use.

Thomas was given 200 hours’ community work on both charges.