Students have been given $25,000 to sue their university after a supervisor snuck into their flat while they were asleep and took their stash of water bongs.
University of Otago proctor Dave Scott snuck into a Dunedin flat where students lived by letting himself through an unlocked back door earlier this month.
Mr Scott, who was dropping off pamphlets, took a stash of water bongs used for smoking cannabis, while one of the flat mates was asleep and the rest were out.
Proctor Dave Scott snuck into a Dunedin flat on Leith Street where students lived by letting himself through an unlocked back door, earlier this month
Mr Scott who was dropping off pamphlets, took a stash of water bongs used for smoking cannabis, while one of the flat mates was asleep and the rest were out
Mr Scott spoke to media on Tuesday, admitting to taking the bongs but stressing he had been trying to help the students avoid getting into trouble.
‘I chose to deal with that situation … Wrongly, with the benefit of hindsight, I entered the room,’ he said.
‘My intention in doing that was to deal with the situation .. without involving police.
‘With the benefit of hindsight that was the wrong decision.
He claimed he only entered one flat and said he had apologised to the students on Tuesday.
‘I’m a human, I made an error of judgment … It won’t be repeated’.
‘I made a judgment call based on my experience, based on what was in front of me,’ he added when asked if he would admit to breaking the law.
An anonymous benefactor has given $25,000 to Whakamana Cannabie Museum founder Abe Gray to create a ‘legal fighting fund’ to privately prosecute Mr Scott for taking bongs from several student flats.
‘This person really wants to nail them and doesn’t want them to shirk away from it and if that’s going to require private prosecution, he’s prepared to fund that completely,’ Mr Gray told Critic.
Abe Gray, the founder and owner of Whakamana Cannabue Museum was given $25,000 by an anonymous benefactor
A university spokeswoman said in a statement Mr Scott was ‘helping students gain degrees and not criminal convictions’ and ‘the occupants of the flat would rather deal with him informally’ than getting police involved.
Mr Smythe said the proctor had agreed to meet up to sign a ‘Code of Proctor Conduct’ or else a protest against him would go ahead.
The proctor cancelled the meeting and a protest ‘with specific demands and outcomes’ will take place on Thursday.
Some students are demanding the resignation of Mr Scott and an apology from the university through a Change.org petition.
‘He should be building bridges, not smashing bongs,’ the online petition read.
A university spokeswoman said in a statement Mr Scott was ‘helping students gain degrees and not criminal convictions’