A West Coast drug offender who wanted locked up to go “cold turkey” has been wished luck by a judge who has released him into a rehabilitation programme.
Twenty-two-year-old Andy Junior Halliday had got part of his wish after appearing in Westport and being remanded to Christchurch.
His case was due for call in the Christchurch District Court on Friday, but was stood down, and when it was due to be recalled Halliday had become frustrated.
The appearance did not go ahead and the case was held over to yesterday, so Halliday ended up getting about 10 days in custody in total.
Halliday had asked to be imprisoned for his and the community’s safety because he had an “extreme” methamphetamine problem, and no home.
His lawyer Doug Taffs told the judge in Westport that the only way Halliday would stay clean was if he was locked up and went “cold turkey”.
Halliday was before the court for sentencing for breaching prison release terms, failing to complete his community work hours, and a new charge of failing to report on supervision.
He pleaded guilty in Christchurch yesterday and defence counsel Glenn Henderson told Judge Tom Gilbert that a place was available for Halliday in a drugs rehabilitation programme in Gore, but he would not be assessed to enter the course for five days.
Judge Gilbert said that after 10 days in custody, no other punitive sentence was warranted for Halliday.
He asked, “Would you be open to a residential treatment programme?” Halliday replied that he was.
He noted that Halliday’s motivation to attend the drug course was in everybody’s interests.
He cancelled the existing supervision and community work sentences, and sentenced Halliday to a year of intensive supervision when he must attend courses, counselling, treatment, or programmes as directed.
Halliday was then released under supervision ahead of his planned admission to the programme, the Judge Gilbert wished him, “Good luck.”
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