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SENTENCING AT WELLINGTON DISTIRCT COURT – CLASS A, B & C DRUGS: IMPORTATION, POSSESSION FOR SUPPLY, AND CONSPIRACY TO SUPPLY

Jan 24, 2024

BR was represented by Matt and Ciara and pleaded guilty to 8 charges involving importation, possession for supply and conspiracy to supply class A, B and C drugs. BR had been arrested as part of Operation Skipjack, a major investigation into the importation of illegal drugs in the Wellington region. BR had earlier faced 98 charges

At sentencing in the Wellington District Court, the Crown sought an overall starting point of 15 – 16 years imprisonment.

However, Matt sought discounts for a raft of mitigating factors including BR’s guilty plea, remorse, factors relating to his upbringing, addiction and rehabilitative efforts at Red Door Rehabilitation Facility, time on bail and lack of previous convictions.

His Honour Judge Hobbs acknowledged these factors in his decision and provided a discount of 70%. This resulted in an end sentence for BR of 3 years and 7 months imprisonment, an exceptional result.

EM BAIL AND HOME DETENTION

Jun 19, 2022

KP plead guilty to 11 charges, with the most serious being injuring with intent to injure and burglary. KP accepted a sentence indication of 3.5 years imprisonment. However, prior to sentencing KP removed his EM Bail bracelet, absconded and was later re-arrested and remanded in custody. This was a wakeup call for KP, accepting that he needed support with drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Ciara sought that KP be admitted to the Grace Foundation and filed an application for EM Bail, which was successful.

At sentencing, KP received discounts for his early guilty pleas, remorse and factors that were addressed in his cultural report pursuant to s 27 Sentencing Act. An end sentence of nine months home detention with judicial monitoring was imposed.

Media

How police and homeowners brought down a Wellington drug syndicate

How police and homeowners brought down a Wellington drug syndicate

Jan 23, 2024

“… Matthew Goodwin spoke of his client’s journey since his second arrest, labelling it “transformational…

Former builder faced Judge Peter Hobbs for sentencing in the Wellington District Court, hoping for the home detention sentence his lawyer fervently argued for. He wasn’t granted home detention – but did receive a 70 per cent discount off his prison sentence.” Read full article here.

The MDMA in the juice bottle and the Brazilian cocaine: Auckland drug runner jailed for cartel role

The MDMA in the juice bottle and the Brazilian cocaine: Auckland drug runner jailed for cartel role

Aug 15, 2023

A former Auckland drug runner who served as a minion in one of New Zealand’s largest ever syndicates has been sentenced to a shade under a decade in prison. Matt Goodwin, said his client had been seduced into the sprawling and sophisticated syndicate amid financial difficulties, cultural pressure and personal tragedy with the death of his grandfather, his “mainstay of support”. Read full article here.

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