Intruder found with glass pipe

A man accepted that it would have been upsetting for his female victim when she witnessed him approaching her bike on her property at 2.45 one morning.

Ethan Beaumont had no authority to be on the fully fenced property when opening a gate and giving himself access on May 30.

The victim, who was concerned about the security of her bike which was leaning against the house, confronted Beaumont, asking him why he was on her property.

Beaumont told her he was running away from some people and then proceeded to run away from her.

“He was located by a police dog handler in a nearby street and was arrested,” police prosecutor Graham Hoskin said when Beaumont appeared in Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.

“A search located a glass pipe tucked in the defendant’s sock, known to be used for the consumption of methamphetamine.”

Beaumont pleaded guilty to charges of possessing or using utensils for methamphetamine and unlawfully entering an enclosed area or yard.

Lawyer Stephanie Burlace said Beaumont pleaded guilty at his earliest opportunity and was apologetic for his actions.

“He did feel stressed and under pressure at the time. He believes he was being chased,” Burlace said.

“He accepts that he shouldn’t have run into the yard, and how upsetting it would have been for the victim having someone in the backyard that she didn’t know.”

It was Beaumont’s first conviction for drug offending and he had one previous conviction for dishonest offending.

Beaumont informed Burlace that he had signed up for drug and alcohol counselling on his own accord.

Judge Dugald Matheson sentenced Beaumont to nine months’ supervision and ordered destruction of the pipe.

“Mr Beaumont, this looks to me like you need a bit of a leg up and some support,” the Judge said.

“You have a very positive report from probation that when you were last with them, you got on with it. I’m hoping you can get on with it this time.”