Brent Todd: 'I've done a silly, silly thing'

Brent Todd said his actions last June were 'silly, silly'. Picture / Greg Bowker

Former Kiwi rugby league player Brent Todd called for public forgiveness for his "silly" crime of procuring cocaine, after being convicted and fined $500 in Auckland District Court today.

Todd, 41, who had flown in yesterday from his home in Queensland, pleaded guilty through lawyer Paul Wicks during a short court appearance.

He had faced one charge that, together with another person, he procured cocaine from alleged celebrity drug ring head John Francis Waterworth.

In the High Court at Auckland today Waterworth, 56, pleaded guilty to a number of drug charges and was remanded in custody for sentencing at a later date.

Outside the court, Todd apologised to his family, friends and the New Zealand public.

"I'm truly sorry for what I did and I just want to try to be able to move on," he said.

"I hope everyone can forgive what I did. It was a silly, silly thing to do."

Todd's offence was alleged to have occurred in Auckland on or about June 10, 2005, when police were conducting an operation codenamed Aqua.

Prosecutor Louise Robb said Todd and a woman visited a central city hotel.

She said video footage showed Todd introducing the female associate to Waterworth, who took her to his apartment, where he supplied her with cocaine.

The following month, Waterworth and others were arrested on drug charges.

Todd was out of the country at the time and was not interviewed by police, who said they would not extradite him, but would arrest him if he returned to New Zealand.

Mr Wicks submitted that Todd should be dealt with by way of a fine, suggesting a figure of $250.

He said Todd had returned voluntarily to New Zealand "to face the music".

"He wholly regrets the introduction of a friend... because the friend wanted to buy drugs," he said.

"It was stupid mistake."

Mr Wicks said Todd had not purchased or sold drugs himself, but accepted that what he had done was to be a procurer.

He added that Todd had made an early guilty plea, was genuinely remorseful and had co-operated with police, while the only previous offence on his record was an unrelated traffic matter.

Apart from the $500 fine, Todd was also ordered to pay court costs of $130. A former prop who was a National Rugby League premiership winner with Canberra and who played 28 tests for New Zealand, Todd has in recent years been known more as a television personality.

Lately, he has been working as a labourer in Australia, although the charge sheet listed his occupation as film production worker.

Todd told reporters the reason he had taken so long to come back to New Zealand was because he had had to save for the trip.

Apart from Todd, other names raised during court proceedings last year in relation to the alleged drug ring included former All Blacks Marc Ellis and Josh Kronfeld, and television personality Lana Coc-Kroft.

Kronfeld and Coc-Kroft were not charged, while Ellis was fined $300 for possessing ecstasy.

- NZPA