R v Kupkovic

The defendants, Andrei Mikoyan Kupkovic, Tuan Anh Ho, and Leighton Kenneth Hoe, were convicted of multiple drug-related offenses, including manufacturing, supplying, and possessing methamphetamine. The case involved a significant amount of methamphetamine manufactured and supplied by the defendants, primarily at a rural address in Takanini and occasionally at another property on Wallace Road. Kupkovic was identified as the ringleader, Tuan Ho as an assistant, and Leighton Hoe as having a lesser role, mainly supplying caustic soda. The court conducted a disputed facts hearing to determine the extent of each defendant's involvement. The Crown argued for high starting points and minimum periods of imprisonment based on the scale of the offenses, while the defense sought lower sentences, emphasizing the defendants' personal circumstances, remorse, and efforts towards rehabilitation. The court balanced the need for accountability and deterrence with the defendants' personal backgrounds and prospects for rehabilitation, ultimately sentencing Kupkovic to 15 years' imprisonment with a minimum of seven-and-a-half years, Tuan Ho to 12-and-a-half years, and Leighton Hoe to seven years, all sentences to be served concurrently.