Evidence
The Christchurch meth files
File references are this project’s own; they are not court, police or exhibit numbers. Every line below is carried by the numbered sources cited on this page.
The Christchurch meth files · 1982—2026
Five guilty verdicts in the High Court at Christchurch in June 2004, and a network that ran between Christchurch and Dunedin. The individual sentences surfaced years apart: five years for Samson in a later property report, two years for Beattie, twenty-one months for the courier Musselwhite. For Tate, Rymer and Carruth the term is still not in the record. 18234445
The verdict report identifies Samson, Tate, Rymer, Beattie and Carruth. A later property report gives Samson five years; a separate retrospective gives Beattie two years, and a court follow-up gives associated courier Musselwhite 21 months. The latter was not one of the five verdict-day defendants. Tate, Rymer and Carruth’s individual terms remain unknown. Beattie’s separate four-and-a-half-year term must not be substituted for his Diablo sentence. 18234445
2 years imprisonment for conspiracy to manufacture in the Diablo case. The separate 4 years 6 months term in the same profile is for a different 2004 case. 1844
CONVICTEDAlso nicknamed Josh in the verdict account; 2015 report describes him surviving a shooting, not dying.
Guilty of conspiring to make and supply methamphetamine. Sentence in mid-July 2004 by Justice Panckhurst not recovered. 18
GUILTY — NO TERM29-year-old; methamphetamine-related items were found at his address
21 months imprisonment, imposed by Justice Graham Panckhurst in the Christchurch High Court. Article reports sentencing that day; later return to Britain was not established. 45
CONVICTEDAssociated Diablo courier, not one of the five verdict-day defendants in the 2004 article.
Admitted at depositions conspiring to supply and manufacture methamphetamine; jury added unlawful possession of laboratory equipment. Mid-July 2004 sentence not recovered. 18
GUILTY — NO TERM45-year-old methamphetamine cook
Five years imprisonment, reported by OneRoof (2026) as a 2004 sentence on charges relating to a methamphetamine operation. Primary sentencing report from mid-July 2004 not recovered. 1823
CONVICTEDHigh-profile Christchurch strip club operator; ring co-ordinator with the 1DEVIL plate that named the operation. Five-year term reported later by OneRoof (secondary source).
Admitted conspiring to supply and manufacture methamphetamine at depositions, plus making and supplying; jury also found him guilty of unlawfully possessing laboratory equipment. Sentence (mid-July 2004, Justice Panckhurst) not recovered. 18
GUILTY — NO TERM42-year-old main manufacturer; a "well-known drug user" in Dunedin running clandestine laboratories
| Person | Legal position | Outcome / qualification | Src |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rota Beattie | Convicted; sentence retrospectively reported | 2 years imprisonment for conspiracy to manufacture in the Diablo case. The separate 4 years 6 months term in the same profile is for a different 2004 case. | 1844 |
| Nathan Brian Carruth | Reported guilty | Guilty of conspiring to make and supply methamphetamine. Sentence in mid-July 2004 by Justice Panckhurst not recovered. | 18 |
| Simon Peter Musselwhite | Conviction and sentence retrospectively reported | 21 months imprisonment, imposed by Justice Graham Panckhurst in the Christchurch High Court. Article reports sentencing that day; later return to Britain was not established. | 45 |
| Anthony Paul Rymer | Reported guilty | Admitted at depositions conspiring to supply and manufacture methamphetamine; jury added unlawful possession of laboratory equipment. Mid-July 2004 sentence not recovered. | 18 |
| James Samson | Reported sentenced (secondary source) | Five years imprisonment, reported by OneRoof (2026) as a 2004 sentence on charges relating to a methamphetamine operation. Primary sentencing report from mid-July 2004 not recovered. | 1823 |
| David John Tate | Pleaded guilty at depositions + further convictions at trial | Admitted conspiring to supply and manufacture methamphetamine at depositions, plus making and supplying; jury also found him guilty of unlawfully possessing laboratory equipment. Sentence (mid-July 2004, Justice Panckhurst) not recovered. | 18 |
| From | Relationship as reported | To | Src |
|---|---|---|---|
| David John Tate | Cooking partners who became frustrated by Samson's supply and made a new precursor deal with Beattie, moving to cut Samson out. | Anthony Paul Rymer | 18 |