SunLive – Former rugby star sentenced for gun reselling

Pawson said Parkinson “felt remorse and regret” and wanted to “now move on with his life”.

Parkinson’s disorder

Police said at the time Parkinson was charged, five Alfa carbines had been supplied to 31-year-old Trent Woodcock, who was allegedly an associate of the Comancheros gang.

However, this element of the offense was not accepted by Woodcock and Parkinson and was removed for decision. It was not considered relevant to the sentence of either man.

Parkinson admitted traveling to Oakland in June 2022 where he paid $10,488 in cash for five rifles of varying calibers and $450 in cash for parts from two Gun City stores.

Although Parkinson himself held a firearms licence, he then transferred it to an unlicensed person.

But the crimes of the 49-year-old man did not end there.

Four months later he reported they had been stolen, saying his entire gun safe, which was bolted to the floor of a shipping container on his property in the Western Bay of Plenty, had been ripped out.

Parkinson made an insurance claim for a stolen safe, five pistols and 40 rounds of ammunition, which were paid out to him. But ESR analysis showed that the “new” safe he bought was “stolen”, with the analysis showing it had never come off the floor.

Parkinson previously pleaded guilty to charges that included unlawful possession of a firearm and obtaining pecuniary gain and was sentenced in the Whakatāne District Court today.

After various discounts were applied for remorse, restitution, previous good character, guilty pleas and background circumstances, he received a final sentence of nine months of home confinement.

“A Misguided Sense of Loyalty”

Pawson’s written statements to the judge before sentencing detailed mitigating factors he said were present.

These included Parkinson’s volunteer work, including serving on local councils, coaching young rugby players and mentoring troubled youth. There were testimonials from people in the community confirming this and his “otherwise good character.”

As for the offence, Parkinson told the probation report writer that he was raised to help his friends.

“(Parkinson) had a misguided sense of loyalty at the time and made a poor choice in trying to help a friend,” Pawson said in written submissions.

“When he realized the gravity of his actions, he panicked and made matters worse by digging himself a bigger hole…It is important to note that the crime was not drug or gang related.”

Parkinson apologized to his community and rugby teammates during a recent meeting.

Matua Parkinson in his playing years. Photo / NZME

His attempts to make amends included paying off an insurance company and completing about 100 hours of voluntary community service.

Tramadol addiction and head trauma

A report from the Tauranga Hospital Community Mental Health Center describes the factors influencing decision-making in Parkinson’s disease.

These included “tramadol dependence and its cognitive side effects from high doses, his undiagnosed ADHD, and his resulting neurocognitive decline due to repeated head trauma.”

During a sentencing hearing in the Tauranga District Court in mid-June, Judge Louis Bidois questioned Parkinson’s conduct.

“Who in their right mind would file an insurance claim for a stolen safe and then use it? Things aren’t going right in Mr. Parkinson’s head, that’s for sure, something’s gone wrong.”

At the hearing, Pawson said Parkinson played more than 700 games of rugby and played quite a “large portion of them in a black jersey”, referring to his time with the Māori All Blacks.

“He’s taken quite a few blows to the head over the years and he’s clearly not a man who thinks about what he’s doing.”

Judge Bidois said Parkinson’s crime was clearly premeditated as he drove to Auckland with cash and bought the rifles quite knowingly, knowing the person he was about to hand them over to was unlicensed.

Pawson said Parkinson wouldn’t mind him saying it was more “silly than sinister” and would “give the shirt off anyone’s back”.

The judge said that may be true, but when it comes to firearms, “society takes a pretty hard-line approach these days.”

“How many guns do you need, why does this other person need five guns and not one?”

Pawson responded that the Alpha carbine was “a good gun for pig hunting” and said that smaller caliber rifles were only suitable for farming.

The judge responded that “any weapon is effective if used in a robbery or aggravated robbery.”

A cut-up Alpha carbine seized by police in another operation in April 2023. Photo/Police

Problem with Alfa Carbines

Available in 9mm, .357 and .22 calibers, Alfa carbines are rifles that can easily be converted into pistol grip pistols and feature a cylinder chambered similar to a revolver.

They are prized by the criminal world because they do not eject shell casings when fired, leaving behind less evidence of a gun crime.

In the statement given NZME Following today’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Albie Alexander said Parkinson’s crime put the public and police at risk.

“Parkinson has held senior positions of responsibility in the community, including being an elected health board officer and captain of the All Blacks Sevens. In addition to these functions, he also had to fulfill legal obligations to be a suitable person to obtain a firearms license,” Alexander said.

“Any diversion of legally purchased firearms to unlicensed individuals, potentially gang members, criminals or extremists, poses a serious safety risk to the public and police officers.”

Alexander said the National Organized Crime Team was aware of numerous examples of sawed-off Alpha carbine rifles being used to commit crimes, including murder.

“More than 70 per cent of firearms seized from offenders are standard rifles and shotguns, which are easily obtained by a so-called A license holder,” he said.

“Today’s sentence brings an end to Parkinson’s legal proceedings, but the full impact of his crime continues as the Alpha carbines he supplied to unlicensed people remain in circulation and are likely to be in the hands of criminals.”

“Mediator” in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s co-accused Trent Woodcock was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court earlier this month.

Crown prosecutor Laura Clay said that although the Crown had removed any reference to gang involvement from the agreed statement of facts, it was “a step too far” for Woodcock’s lawyer to argue that Woodcock had not engaged in any “anti-social behaviour”.

“Mr Woodcock is still a member of the Comancheros. He was then and still is,” Clay said.

However, Woodcock, through his lawyer Paul Weeks (KC), denied this as a reason for the offending.

“(This) crime occurred prior to this particular aspect of Mr. Woodcock’s involvement with this group,” Weeks said.

Weeks also said his client was remorseful, as evidenced by preliminary sentencing and psychological reports, and was seeking help in dealing with issues stemming from his abusive upbringing.

“He reflected on his behavior, poor decision-making and the potential consequences for himself and others,” Weeks said.

“He has now made a decisive choice about how he wants to live his life.”

Judge Bill Lawson told the 31-year-old that “any court would treat this as a serious offence.”

He said the offense violated and circumvented firearms laws.

“There is no doubt that the supply of firearms poses a significant risk to the public,” Lawson said.

However, Lawson also noted that Woodcock was entitled to the same treatment as co-defendant Parkinson, who had already been sentenced.

The judge set Woodcock’s starting point at two years and nine months in prison before any discounts were applied.

The judge also addressed Woodcock’s gang.

“You have not accepted that this is part of this offense and this is not contained in the statement of facts. I set that aside for sentencing purposes.”

The judge granted a total of 35% discount based on his guilty plea, minor factors and remorse.

He accepted the pre-sentence report’s recommendation that prison was not the best option for Woodcock’s rehabilitation.

He had good prospects for rehabilitation and was already receiving supervised treatment, which the judge wanted to avoid.

Woodcock was sentenced to 10 months of house arrest.