A former West Auckland police officer who gave contraband to prisoners has escaped a prison term.
Lotovale Perese has been sentenced to 150 hours of community service when he appeared for sentencing in the Waitakere District Court on 18 charges on Tuesday. One of the charges represents 44 separate cases of offending.
The 42-year-old gave items such as tobacco, cigarettes, a cellphone, SIM card, USB sticks, food and what is thought to have been cannabis to inmates.
Police believe there were 77 occasions when banned items were given to 16 prisoners over six months. Perese had been based at the Henderson station in West Auckland and was with the force for 13 years before he resigned.
The police prosecutor pushed for a jail sentence of up to nine months, but Judge David Wilson told Perese that sending him to jail wasn't right.
"I think that dealing with you by a term of imprisonment would not only be inappropriate, but would also be unsafe. It would put you in a place where these folk who have leant on you in the past might have you at their mercy."
Perese was initially trying to keep inmates calm after new no-smoking rules came into force. His lawyer Richard Earwaker said the requests then kept coming and eventually became uncontrollable.
"What he did was something that's almost inexplicable - as the judge said it's part of his personality, his generosity of spirit was never intended to harm. But obviously he recognises that it has, so it's just one of those things that he's now relieved it's over."
Mr Earwaker said Perese accepts there is no excuse for what he did and will now rebuild his life after losing his reputation.
Police have declined to comment.
