Millie Holmes has found love in one of the darkest moments of her life - she's in a new relationship with a man she met in drugs rehab.
The 19-year-old, whose scheduled court sentencing last Friday was delayed until December, is now living with James Mail, 21, in
an Onehunga home.
The pair met at Narcotics Anonymous and have been going out for about a month.
"He's funny, he never gets grumpy, he's always happy," Millie said yesterday. "If I'm having a down day he'll cheer me up by saying something funny ... And he's cute, he's hot."
James, a builder, says he's been off P for 19 months.
"I don't want to be a loser. I looked around the people I was with and thought, 'I don't want to do this any more'."
He stopped after being imprisoned in the Mt Eden remand centre after a police pursuit last year.
"I was in a high-speed chase from Drury through to Meadowbank. I popped a tyre and still kept going but they finally caught me.
"That was the hardest day of my life. It was like the end of it. It was the turning point ... I knew I had to change. My mum can actually sleep at night now."
Millie says she too is off P. She has a 7pm-9am curfew and has also undergone drug tests at the Capri rehab clinic.
"I'm doing one this Wednesday. It will be used for court so it's really important I stay clean ... "
Millie said she had had nothing but positive feedback since her exclusive interview in last week's Herald on Sunday.
Her mother, Hinemoa Elder, told her the interview would have helped other people in her predicament, while the head of Capri, Tom Claunch, also texted his support.
Millie is now looking to follow her father Paul into the media industry.
"I'm not really into the serious side of news and stuff.
"The fun stuff like gossip magazines appeals to me because of my age and stuff."
