Lawyer convicted on drugs charges
A PROMINENT Wellington lawyer fined $1300 after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine and other drugs says he plans to appeal against the conviction.
Keith Ian Jefferies, 67, was caught with drugs at his law office, home and a car he used.
He had initially pleaded not guilty to two charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of BK-MDMA, possession of utensils for methamphetamine use and possession of a psychoactive substance.
He changed his plea to guilty yesterday and asked Wellington District Court judge David Ruth for a discharge without conviction.
Police searches in July last year found drugs in a car, a pipe and a point bag in his office and a point bag in his wallet, along with other drugs such as BKMDMA, a derivative of Ecstasy, at his home.
Wellington District Court judge David Ruth said the explanation that Jefferies began to use methamphetamine because a client told him it would stabilise blood sugars did not find favour with him.
‘‘That would suggest he was a stupid man . . . and he does not strike me as as stupid man,’’ the judge said.
He said he would have to categorise Jefferies as a recreational drug user.
The judge declined to discharge Jefferies and fined him instead, saying consequences for his career and inquiries from the Law Society might be expected.
Prosecutor Jamie O’Sullivan said Jefferies gave explanations that the utensils and drugs must have been left by others.
She told Ruth that the guilty plea had come late in the day with the case prepped ready for trial and Jefferies did not show any particular remorse.
O’Sullivan said there were no real details in the reports before the court, other than a counsellor saying Jefferies was not addicted to drugs. She said it failed to address why he had the drugs and more than one type of drug.
Jefferies has a previous conviction for using a cellphone while driving.
After the hearing, he said he had plans to appeal because he wanted to pursue a discharge without conviction. Jefferies expected to hear from the Law Society, which he said was monitoring the situation.
‘‘It’s not sufficiently serious on the basis that they would strike me off.’’
The lawyer expected to continue business as usual. ‘‘I carry on – I mean, they can’t take your mind away. There’s a lot of things I can do, legally,’’ Jefferies said. ‘‘I’ve got a lot of loyal clients.’’