13 December 2007

MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

Kevin Jack Ngan v The Queen

(SC 5/2007) [2007] NZSC 105

PRESS SUMMARY

This summary is provided to assist in the understanding of the Court’s
judgment. It does not comprise part of the reasons for that judgment.
The full judgment with reasons is the only authoritative document. The
full text of the judgment and reasons can be found at
www.courtsofnz.govt.nz.

The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed Mr Ngan’s appeal against
conviction for possession of methamphetamine for supply. A car he was
driving was involved in a serious accident in which he was injured. After
Mr Ngan had been taken away to hospital and the police were dealing with the
crash scene, items of his property, including a sealed pouch, were located in
the wreckage of his car. In the course of completing an inventory of the items,
which they took into safekeeping, the police opened the sealed pouch and
discovered a quantity of methamphetamine in it.

The Court has found that evidence given at his trial of the discovery of the
methamphetamine in those circumstances was properly admitted. There was
no breach of Mr Ngan’s right under s 21 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act
1990 to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.

ENDS

See... Judgment: SC_5_2007_Kevin_Jack_Ngan_v_The_Queen.pdf

© Scoop Media