‘Birthday meth’ lands man in jail

An Invercargill man and Mongrel Mob member found with cash and methamphetamine in his bumbag told police they were given to him as birthday presents.

Liam Johnston, 25, was sentenced to 20 months’ prison yesterday after previously pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine, possessing a meth pipe, possessing live .22 ammunition and two breach of parole conditions (one of which was representative), all at Invercargill in March this year.

The summary of facts says Johnston is a member of Mongrel Mob Aotearoa, aligned to the Christchurch Chapter.

In February, police became aware Johnston was dealing methamphetamine, the summary says. He was arrested outside a store in central Invercargill wearing a Mongrel Mob patch and clothing identifying his affiliation to the gang on March 4.

In his bumbag were five bags of methamphetamine, electronic scales, a large quantity of clean zip-lock bags and $625 cash.

Police found another set of electronic scales in his vehicle, and in his room they found a meth pipe, 19 rounds of .22 ammunition inside a glove and another eight rounds of ammunition.

Johnston told police he was a meth addict, it had been his birthday the day previously and he had been given various quantities of the drug and cash by associates, the summary says.

He told police he had the scales so that he would not be ripped off when he bought methamphetamine, and the plastic bags were to ration it into daily amounts so he did not smoke it all at once.

His parole conditions at the time were not to associate with members of the Mongrel Mob and not to possess illicit drugs.

In the Invercargill District Court, Judge Peter Rollo said Johnston was blessed with a very supportive upbringing and had aspirations of becoming a carpet layer. He was a street dealer, had his own addiction, and the dealing was small scale, the judge said.

Johnston was in possession of about two grams of the drug, and the judge discounted the sentence for guilty pleas and addiction.