Dale Kirk
Managing Director Methcon Group Ltd

22nd September 2011

Prolific ‘P’ cook sentenced to life in jail

48 year old Christian Clifton was yesterday sentenced in the Auckland District Court to life imprisonment with a minimum non parole period of 10 years for the manufacturing Methamphetamine ‘P’.

Managing Director of drug education and Consultancy Company, Methcon Group Limited and former Police drug squad detective, Dale Kirk stated that it was pleasing to see the New Zealand courts taking a harder line with Methamphetamine offenders and utilizing the sentencing tools at their disposal.
“Methamphetamine was re-classified as a Class A drug in 2003 yet it has taken 8 years for the first life sentence for manufacturing the drug to be handed down. With over 1800 clan labs located by Police since 1996 and the majority of these since 2003, it is not before time”

“Other recent sentences handed down by the courts for manufacturing, supplying, possessing for supply and importation of Methamphetamine also reflect a ‘ratcheting up’ of penalties in Methamphetamine cases”

Clifton was on bail for manufacturing Methamphetamine at the time of his arrest, and had previously been sentenced to 6 years 10 months imprisonment for the same offence.

“The decision to grant Clifton bail proved to be wrong and the judge has acknowledged this during sentencing. Whilst no one can predict future events it seems incredulous that bail was granted despite the fact that Clifton had only recently been released form prison for the same offence. Likewise questions need to be asked regarding why he was not recalled to prison assuming that he was granted parole from his previous sentence”

“This case clearly shows that legislation and punitive actions will not, on their own remove the drug problem in New Zealand. The basic economics of supply and demand dictate that as long as there are customers willing and wanting to purchase the drug to fuel their addiction, then people such as Clifton will continue to manufacture and supply the drug. Only when you eliminate demand for the drug will you make a dent at the supply end”

www.methcon.co.nz

ENDS

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