A methamphetamine dealer who has been battling addiction for 23 years has proven to the court that he has turned his life around.

This week, Brian Tito, 38, appeared for sentencing in the Whangārei District Court before Judge Gene Tomlinson.

The court heard how Tito had spent more than two decades locked into addiction but has more recently been working on his rehabilitation and was now leading a “meaningful life”.

But he still had residual court matters that needed to be addressed.

The sentencing sitting heard that in April 2022, Tito was charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply after police discovered his criminal activity through phone communications.

He was remanded into custody and granted bail in October.

But within a month, he was back before court on further charges of supplying, as well as resisting arrest, driving offences and possession of meth and three tabs of LSD.

In total, Tito was found to have dealt 87g of methamphetamine and had “tick lists” of money owed totalling around $50,000.

Crown lawyer Ben Bosomworth said Tito had told police much of the “tick” money was his own debt.

But Bosomworth said it would be unusual if debt noted on such a list was money he owed himself.

Bosomworth acknowledged Tito had done everything he could to rehabilitate, but said his role in the earlier meth supply was still significant.

Tito had a large crowd of supporters in court, including Northland stalwarts in addiction rehabilitation Phil Paikea, Ngahau Davis and Chris Nahi.

Brian Tito was sentenced in the Whangārei District Court.

Nahi addressed the court and said that of all his clients at the Victory House rehabilitation centre, Tito was on the higher level of those wanting to change and had trained himself in mental health and addictions services.

“I believe wholeheartedly he is rehabilitated,” Nahi told the court.

It was heard Tito had been battling addiction for 23 years after coming from a home he described to pre-sentence report writers as “10 times worse” than the movie Once Were Warriors.

Defence lawyer Mathew Ridgley, the Crown and the judge agreed that although Tito’s offending was significant, his rehabilitation made for a difficult sentencing exercise.

“The rehabilitation he has done for the two years he’s been on bail has been significant. It’s been around the clock,” Ridgley submitted.

“At the point of exiting Victory House, it could have gone one of two ways and Mr Tito stayed the course because he has been self-driven.”

Judge Tomlinson reminded the court of the impact Tito’s offending had on the community.

“Northland is plagued with violent crimes, burgs, thefts, and receivings. All because of addiction to this vile drug.

“You now being clean, and having been clean a long time, I hope you look back on your old self with shame. You look back on the harm you’ve put in the community, I hope with disgust.”

The judge said he was pleased Tito had shifted his mindset to the future, providing value to others around Northland at rehabilitation centres and was satisfied he was no longer a risk to the community.

“You have, with the assistance of all the people here today, grabbed the opportunity to change your life.

“You’ve now got a meaningful life, you are now effecting change in others because you have lived the life.

“Every day you have to answer the question, ‘No, I’m not going to use.”

Tito was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention, 180 hours of community work and was disqualified from driving.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.