Second cannabis conviction for former policeman
Adrian John Van Der Eik (also known as Frank), 66, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday and was sentenced to supervision after earlier admitting cultivating the drug.
The court heard that on February 24, police attended the defendant's rural Otago home and found seven semi-mature cannabis plants growing outside.
Yesterday, counsel Brendan Stephenson said his client suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after his time as a police officer.
He had been battling with ACC to get counselling and there was a strong link between the defendant's mental health issues and the offending, his lawyer said.
Judge Maria Pecotic agreed and noted Van Der Eik had "a longstanding addiction issue" with cannabis which he used to self-medicate.
"I understand why you're standing here today," the judge said.
"It's not just the nature of the work you engaged in beforehand but it seems other family members have similar issues to you."
She sentenced the tearful defendant to nine months' supervision.
"I hope you are able to get the help you need Mr Van Der Eik, and don't end up coming back before the court on another charge like this again," Judge Pecotic said.
The defendant was set for a judge-alone trial on a charge of speaking threateningly yesterday but was offered diversion.
The police diversion scheme allows eligible offenders to avoid a conviction by completing an agreed set of tasks.
The recent cannabis conviction was not the first time Van Der Eik had faced drug charges laid by his former employer.
In 2004 he was convicted of possessing the class-C drug and a pipe and was fined.
The Otago Daily Times previously reported that Van Der Eik was employed by police from 1978 to 1991.
He had been a sole-charge officer at Clinton and transferred to Middlemarch in 1989.
Van Der Eik said he was forced to "medically disengage" from police in June 1991, with chronic severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
Earlier this year, Van Der Eik sent an email to police prosecutions, into which the ODT was copied, saying he intended to defend the charges and "this case is all about PTSD".
"We shall expose the causation by police, gaslighting by ACC, and the Tail Management Plan between both during late 1990s that required ACC to exit the 129 long term injured police with expected savings of millions as we were permanently injured," the email read.
"I thank police for bringing this matter to public attention."
— Felicity Dear, Court reporter
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