Man's crimes distilled in court

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A CASH-strapped Oxford Street man peddled his home-brewed spirits to neighbours, vagrants and alcoholics in exchange for money or valuables, Gisborne District Court heard. He was not licensed to sell the alcohol, which was often as concentrated as 40-percent proof.

He was also willing to allow his customers to “tick up” their purchases for payment later. Marzden Sidney Alan Eyles, 39, appeared for sentence for offending that spanned about six months of last year and which he described to a report writer as an attempt to make some “easy money”.

Seasonal work at which he was otherwise employed was only intermittent. He had a partner and two children to support.

Eyles pleaded guilty to charges of selling alcohol without a licence and selling it to a minor. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for supply (68 grams in total, much of it rolled into “tinnie” amounts) and possession of cannabis seeds, charges that arose when police searched his house in relation to the alcohol.

Judge Warren Cathcart sentenced Eyles to 140 hours of community work and six months supervision.

Counsel Tony Robinson said Eyles was trying to alleviate financial hardship rather than selling the drugs and alcohol to support an addiction. He had previously undergone a significant period of counselling for alcohol and drug abuse.

Last conviction five years agoWhile Eyles had a history of dishonesty offending, his last such conviction was five years ago. He had just one other conviction for cannabis offending, which was 22 years ago.

The “tinnies” police found had been delivered to Eyles only that day. Judge Cathcart said the concern for the court was the unknown extent of Eyles’ cannabis offending.

The court was bound to sentence on the amount police found that day but he was concerned the extent of Eyles’ drug offending could have been more.

The judge said his sentencing notes would be placed on Eyles’ file for reference should he appear again before a court for similar offending.

The judge queried why Eyles had not been charged with selling cannabis, given there was supposedly 700 to 800 pages of text messages in support of the offending. Mr Robinson said such messages were vague and many related to the alcohol.

Police sought an order for the destruction of five cell phones involved in messaging, along with a large amount of other property seized from Eyles including brewing equipment, four bottles of spirits, notebooks and two electronic tablets.

Eyles objected to destruction of the cell phones, saying they contained precious pictures of his children. Judge Cathcart said the issue would be discussed at a forfeiture hearing later.