Ex Government employee up on drugs charges

A former Government employee in Northland has been granted further name suppression on charges of selling cannabis and supplying methamphetamine.

The man, who cannot be named or his specific occupation identified, appeared in Whangarei District Court today on a charge of supplying the Class A drug methamphetamine and another of selling cannabis to a person over the age of 18.

Supplying methamphetamine - or P as it is also known - carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and police allege both offences happened between June 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012.

In court yesterday before Judge Greg Davis the man's lawyer Peter Magee asked for continued name suppression while Ross Burns, a lawyer from Auckland, on behalf of the police did not oppose interim suppression continuing.

However, Mr Burns said police would oppose name suppression continuing in the long term.

Judge Davis continued interim name suppression, including name, address, occupation and any other details that may identify the man, until 5pm on May 17.

The judge set aside two hours that day for prosecution, defence and the media to make further applications on whether name suppression would continue past that date.

Judge Davis also granted further name suppression of the main witness in the case.

The specific charted the man faces will be back before the court on July 12. It's possible the man will enter a plea to the charges at that July hearing.

The man has been remanded on bail and he was earlier ordered to surrender his passport and not to apply for another passport or travel document. He must not contact the complainant or any associates named by the prosecution.