Alya Mira Nicky Hale (34), of Milton, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after previously pleading guilty to supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply the class-A drug and selling cannabis.
Between April and September 2021, the defendant was so prolific and well connected that she became "one of the principal methamphetamine dealers" in the area, police said.
"She was expanding her enterprise by having people deal for her."
The court heard Hale would travel as far north as Timaru and south to Invercargill on at least six different occasions to source larger quantities.
She scored a total of 20g, worth about $14,000, through the trips.
Hale was active on her cellphone during the period as she tried to shift the product.
According to court documents, there were 49 occasions when she offered or sold meth, totalling $15,000 of potential sales.
Hale also sold about $800 of cannabis during the same period.
When police approached the defendant in April last year, she admitted the drug-dealing and described herself as "a middle person, obtaining methamphetamine and cannabis on behalf of her friends".
However, Crown prosecutor Marcail Brosnan argued Hale was in "almost a managerial position".
Counsel Brian Kilkelly described how his client had been running a dairy farm with her then partner which was hit by Mycoplasma bovis, meaning all the stock had to be euthanised.
They were under "immense pressure", he said.
"One can only imagine the difficulties the circumstances placed you in.
"You effectively decided to self-medicate, using methamphetamine as a means of coping with that turmoil," Judge David Robinson said.
Hale’s partner turned to meth before leaving the family for the North Island, where he remained.
The defendant was left isolated and hooked.
"She was heavily addicted and the offending that followed came as a desperate means to maintain her own growing addiction," Mr Kilkelly said.
He told the court Hale had abstained from methamphetamine use since the end of 2021 but it remained a daily battle.
Judge Robinson said it was "remarkable" that a 34-year-old came before the court for the first time on charges which carried a potential period of life imprisonment.
Hale was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention and 100 hours’ community work.
