Pubdate: Wed, 07 Dec 2005
Source: Waikato Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 Independent Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/486
Author: Tane Aikman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

DRUG LINK A SAD BLOW FOR GRIEVING MUM

The mother of South Waikato man Stephen George is devastated by the
news that her son was growing cannabis and that his death may have
been drug-related.

Mr George's body was found in a burned farm house at Tirohanga, near
Atiamuri, on October 9.

Police are conducting a homicide investigation.

Yesterday, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper revealed that about 30
cannabis seedlings were found near the remains of the carport and
police had been told Mr George was involved with growing and supplying
cannabis to people in the area of Te Awamutu and Kihikihi.

Mr George's mother Lindsay George said she had "no idea he was doing
anything like that . . . you just sort of don't know what your kids
are up to, do you?"

When she and her husband Roger went to the house on September 3 for Mr
George's birthday, there were no signs of cannabis.

Mr Loper said the seedlings had just begun to germinate and were about
two weeks old.

Mr George's friend and neighbour David Munro said it was a small-scale
operation, grown for personal use and to supply friends.

"He only dealt with friends, he never dealt with strangers."

Mr Munro said Mr George had been growing cannabis for about 18
months.

"He'd never been involved with it before then. It was only a recent
sort of thing."

Mrs George said she hoped whoever was involved with her son's death
"sorts themselves out and comes in and tells the police what they
know. It's just eating us up now".

Mr Loper appealed to "the drug community in the Waikato" to help
police solve the murder. "We know that some people may be reluctant to
come forward and talk to us but we appeal to those people to bring
closure to Stephen George's death. He has a family who desperately
want some answers as to how their son, husband and brother died."

Brian Aspin, the co-owner of the farm Mr George worked on, said he had
no idea his operational manager was involved with drugs.

He was unhappy to learn cannabis was being grown on his property but
accepted employees might have it in their homes.

The police investigation team can be contacted on 0800 782 709.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake