Shaun Gage-Apiata thought he had found a wee loophole in his drug-testing regime.
The 25-year-old appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to two breaches of release conditions.
In mid-2019, Gage-Apiata came before the Tauranga courts where he was jailed for nearly five years on 10 charges, including violence, weapons crime, driving offences and kidnapping.
One release from prison was short-lived after the defendant was kicked out of a rehabilitation course for "bullying and threatening behaviour".
Five months later, on August 25, Gage-Apiata was freed again and confirmed in writing that he understood he was subject to random testing for alcohol and drug use.
Within a week, Corrections were contacted by the testing laboratory which said his sample was "inconsistent with human urine".
It matched synthetic urine.
At the time, the defendant denied trying to dupe testers and could not explain the result.
Synthetic urine appears to be readily available in New Zealand, with online retailers selling it as cheaply as $40 for 89ml and including heating packs.
In 2021, the issue prompted a short-lived political response.
The National Party’s Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey introduced the "Synthetic Urine (Prohibition on Importation, Supply and Acquisition to Pass a Workplace Drug Test) Bill".
"How can you openly sell a product and it says online, ‘Use this to go and cheat a drug test’? That puts everyone at risk. Where is their duty of care? I just find that absolutely outrageous. How can we have this going on?" he said.
The bill failed at its first reading.
The court yesterday heard Gage-Apiata had also contravened his release conditions by living with his partner — a relationship considered "volatile" by Corrections.
In recent weeks, however, the defendant had voluntarily re-engaged with rehabilitative supports and had completed a pre-apprenticeship course.
"It’s looking like he’s turned a corner," counsel John Westgate said.
Judge Jim Large considered imposing community work but opted against it so Gage-Apiata could focus on his job hunt.
He sentenced the defendant to 12 months’ supervision.
