Reader pricked by used needle in paper

A Southland Times subscriber was injured this week after she was pricked by a hypodermic needle concealed in her newspaper.

The Bluff woman said she had gone to collect her paper before dawn on Tuesday after her husband left to go oystering. Her paper was in a plastic bag and as she removed it she felt something wrapped inside, she said.

"I thought 'oh I must be getting a freebie in the newspaper'."

That anticipation turned to horror as she pricked her finger while removing the bag, the woman said.

Unwrapping the newspaper she discovered seven syringes and hypodermic needles in a plastic bag inside. Wrapped around the bag was an intravenous line and butterfly needle, she said. "It was dirty and had blood in the line.''

She immediately phoned police.

Since the incident she had undergone tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C and other blood-borne diseases after police told her the delivery contractor had admitted  being an intravenous drug user.

Those tests would be ongoing, the woman said.

Constable Jordan Edwards, of Bluff, said police had spoken to the contractor and he had admitted  concealing the syringes in a newspaper that had got mixed up with other newspapers.

Police had seized the items but were still deciding if action could be taken against the contractor.

The Southland Times general manager Gareth Codd said the incident had come as a shock and the contractor had had his contract terminated immediately.

"From our point of view we are deeply concerned and very sympathetic towards our subscriber."

The company was doing all it could to help police, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News