An Invercargill man found with 7.91g of methamphetamine believed his family had been shot while suffering psychosis after taking the drug.
Shearer Tane Kaipo Pohatu (50) yesterday pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and intentionally damaging a wall heater when he appeared before Judge John Brandts-Giesen in the Invercargill District Court.
Pohatu had originally been charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply but police amended it to a lesser charge at yesterday’s court appearance.
At 12.15am Pohatu called St John saying two people in the room had been shot.
"Armed police attended and voice-appealed the occupants of unit 6 to come to the door."
In reply the defendant shouted several times, "bang, bang, I’ve been shot".
Police gained access and found Pohatu behind an upturned sofa, shouting out that he had been shot.
Before police arrived, Pohatu had kicked a wall heater with enough force to cause significant damage.
Utensils for methamphetamine consumption and 7.91g of methamphetamine were found inside a medication box.
Pohatu’s lawyer Sonia Vidal said yesterday Pohatu’s use of methamphetamine led to his psychosis.
"He called police in the belief that he was being hunted to be killed and that his partner and children had been killed," she said.
The psychosis came as a big shock to him, she said.
As a result of the event, he was recalled to prison in relation to a prior sentence.
Because of the charge being downgraded, Ms Vidal said he had now been in custody in excess of the maximum sentence for the charges he faced, therefore she was seeking a conviction and discharge.
When he was released on October 10, one of his parole conditions was that he receive residential rehabilitative treatment.
Judge Brandts-Giesen said Pohatu was being given an opportunity through the chance of rehabilitation.
"You have got enough problems without adding more drugs to them," the judge said.
Pohatu was convicted and discharged and was ordered to pay $578 reparation for the broken heater.
- Karen Pasco, PIJF court reporter karen.pasco@odt.co.nz
