PANo photograph used
Philip Wayne Aitken
Operation Granite — 1 November 2012
8 months home detention on conspiracy-to-manufacture count. 42
CONVICTEDHelped locate accommodation used by the enterprise; judge described low culpability.
Evidence
Granite
The Christchurch meth files
- File
- CH-05
- Years
- 2010—2013
- Records
- 9
- Sourced terms
- 8
- Status
- 6 sentenced · 2 split verdict · 1 unresolved
- Sources
- 13, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 49
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
The June 2010 police release announced three clandestine laboratories. What followed took years to settle: Michael Leslie Smith and Adam Miles were acquitted of conspiracy but sentenced on other counts, John Douglas McKenzie’s conviction was entered late and sentenced in December 2013, and Matthew Newton was reported guilty on every charge with no term recovered. Eight terms are in this record. 17373839404142434849
6 sentenced2 split verdict1 unresolved
Record note — what is settled in this file and what is not
The June 2010 Police release, contemporary court report and later judgments corroborate one investigation. Recovered judgments now establish individual sentences while preserving Smith’s and Miles’s conspiracy acquittals. McKenzie’s initially unentered conviction was later entered and he was eventually sentenced. Newton’s final term remains unrecovered; starting points are not end sentences. 17373839404142434849
Every address in this chapter, quoted paragraph by paragraph from the sentencing judgments →
The people
9 recordsTBNo photograph used
Terry Raymond Black
Operation Granite — 1 November 2012
3 years 9 months imprisonment on each of conspiracy to manufacture and conspiracy to supply, concurrent. 43
CONVICTEDConspiracies to manufacture and to supply methamphetamine.
MHNo photograph used
Michael Roy Harris
Operation Granite — 1 November 2012
4 years imprisonment effective total; not merely the 3 years 6 months lead manufacturing term. 41
CONVICTEDManufacturing and firearms offending; cumulative/concurrent structure in sentencing judgment.
RMNo photograph used
Rory Edward Manuel
Operation Granite — 23 February 2012
3 years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply; two months for ammunition concurrent. 49
CONVICTEDJudgment expressly identifies Operation Granite; not a manufacture conviction.
JMNo photograph used
John Douglas McKenzie
Operation Granite — sentenced 13 December 2013
3 years 10 months imprisonment for conspiracy to manufacture. Earlier verdict-day report did not yet record a conviction; later judgments establish conviction and sentence. 13404850
CONVICTEDFinancing role: court found knowledge that the loan would assist commercial manufacture, but not full knowledge of the enterprise’s scale.
AMNo photograph used
Adam John Miles
Operation Granite — sentence upheld 19 August 2013; original hearing date unresolved
5 years 5 months imprisonment in total. Court of Appeal dismissed conviction and sentence appeals. 1340
SPLIT VERDICTManufacturing/precursor/equipment convictions plus firearms matters; not convicted of conspiracy.
MNNo photograph used
Matthew Allen Newton
Operation Granite — 18 September 2012 verdict
Guilty findings included conspiracy, manufacture, possession for sale/supply, chemicals/equipment and firearm/ammunition charges. This source does not establish the eventual sentence. 13
GUILTY — NO TERMTrial co-defendant
RSNo photograph used
Rongjun Situ
Operation Granite — 1 November 2012
3 years 2 months imprisonment on one conspiracy-to-manufacture count. 38
CONVICTEDSupplied materials; home detention unavailable because end sentence exceeded two years.
MSNo photograph used
Michael Leslie Smith
Operation Granite — 1 November 2012
3 years 10 months imprisonment effective total for manufacturing, precursor/equipment and firearms/explosives offences. The conspiracy acquittal remains an acquittal. 1339
SPLIT VERDICTCook; primary judgment distinguishes his offences from the failed conspiracy charge.
What the record supports
status · outcome · source| Person | Legal position | Outcome / qualification | Src |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Wayne Aitken | Convicted and sentenced after guilty plea | 8 months home detention on conspiracy-to-manufacture count. | 42 |
| Terry Raymond Black | Sentenced after guilty pleas | 3 years 9 months imprisonment on each of conspiracy to manufacture and conspiracy to supply, concurrent. | 43 |
| Michael Roy Harris | Sentenced | 4 years imprisonment effective total; not merely the 3 years 6 months lead manufacturing term. | 41 |
| Rory Edward Manuel | Convicted and sentenced after guilty pleas | 3 years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply; two months for ammunition concurrent. | 49 |
| John Douglas McKenzie | Convicted 15 November 2012; appeals unsuccessful; sentenced 13 December 2013 | 3 years 10 months imprisonment for conspiracy to manufacture. Earlier verdict-day report did not yet record a conviction; later judgments establish conviction and sentence. | 13404850 |
| Adam John Miles | Sentenced; conspiracy acquittal preserved; appeals dismissed | 5 years 5 months imprisonment in total. Court of Appeal dismissed conviction and sentence appeals. | 1340 |
| Matthew Allen Newton | Reported guilty on all charges | Guilty findings included conspiracy, manufacture, possession for sale/supply, chemicals/equipment and firearm/ammunition charges. This source does not establish the eventual sentence. | 13 |
| Rongjun Situ | Sentenced | 3 years 2 months imprisonment on one conspiracy-to-manufacture count. | 38 |
| Michael Leslie Smith | Sentenced; acquitted of conspiracy at trial | 3 years 10 months imprisonment effective total for manufacturing, precursor/equipment and firearms/explosives offences. The conspiracy acquittal remains an acquittal. | 1339 |
Documented connections
1 edges| From | Relationship as reported | To | Src |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Allen Newton | Alleged by the Crown to be co-conspirators: Situ a pseudoephedrine broker for Newton. | Rongjun Situ | 13 |