Overdose cases after break-in

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 4

Overdose cases after break-in

PA Auckland Five drug overdose victims were flown to Auckland Hospital after a break-in at the Salvation Army’s Rotoroa Island hospital. One of the patients shinned up a drainpipe and jemmied open a door to get an unknown quantity of drugs from the clinic last week. He distributed them to patients and work scheme residents. Five people were flown to Auckland on Friday suffering .from overdoses.

Most were discharged the same day but one man was still in hospital in a fair condition on Saturday. A Salvation Army spokesman on the island Captain Gordon Smith said the police were still investigating. Three men appeared in the Auckland District Court during the weekend charged with either burglary or receiving pills or capsules. David Wayne Edwards,

aged 21, a Hamilton beneficiary admitted burgling the clinic. He told the court he had an addiction problem and broke into the clinic because he was “hanging out.” He had volunteered to go to the island, he said.

“I went to a party with my girlfriend, and I nearly strangled her and that freaked me out, so I thought I’d better get some treatment,” he said. Judge W. J. Mitchell remanded him in custody until Friday. Graeme Ross Cahill, aged 35, a Wiri beneficiary, admitted receiving pills from Edwards and said he took them to kill himself.

"I just got so down I felt ■ like getting off the planet,” he told the court. Judge Mitchell remanded Cahill in custody until Friday. Another man the judge said was probably still affected by drugs also pleaded guilty to receiving the pills. The judge remanded him until Monday in custody.