NOMADS JAILED FOR DRUG 'TAXING'

The "taxing" of drug associates for perceived losses on deals had
become more common and should be deplored, a High Court judge says.

In Wellington yesterday, Justice Goddard sent two Nomad gang members
to jail, one for four years and the other for 18 months.

Wera Henare, 42, a driver, of Otaki, received the longer sentence on
charges of offering to supply and supplying the methamphetamine drug P
for $8400, and robbing a drug associate of $260.

With Wayne Anthony Weston, 35, unemployed, of Feilding, he was also
found guilty of threatening to kill, being unlawfully in the victim's
home intending to commit a crime, demanding car keys with menaces and
kidnapping.

The victim was a go-between for Henare to sell P to a gang associate.
The victim said he handed over the drug to someone he believed was
acting for the associate but was never paid. He said first Henare, and
then Weston came after him each wanting $10,000. He also said Henare
had wanted him to sign over his Wairarapa farmlet to Henare.

Justice Goddard said it was the type of organised criminal activity,
known as taxing, that happened when people tried to retrieve perceived
losses when drug deals went wrong.

Henare's lawyer, Jock Blathwayt, said Henare, who has lost his right
arm below the elbow, did not accept he had committed any offences and
thought prejudice about his gang connections led to his conviction. He
said the victim owed him money for a vehicle and he had been planning
to make a legitimate offer for the victim's farmlet.

Prosecutor Kenneth Stone said the Crown agreed the victim contributed
to what happened but he was entitled to the protection of the law.