Kidnapper had ‘TV fantasy’

Press, 7 May 1983, Page 16

Kidnapper had ‘TV fantasy’

PA Auckland A youth who appeared for sentence in the High Court at Auckland had modelled his behaviour on an American television drama, according to defence counsel, Mr L. Williams. “He began to think that he was on a television programme himself,” said Mr Williams. “He fantasised that he was one of the heroes on the screen.” Elliott Mark Puru, aged 18, of Whangarei, was sentenced to years jail after pleading guilty to four charges of aggravated robbery, one of kidnapping, and another of threatening to kill. On each charge he was sentenced by Mr Justice Barker to 5Vz years jail, to be served concurrently. The Court had been told

that Puru was shot in the neck by a police marksman after threatening to kill a woman he was holding hosMr Williams told the court that Puru and his family laid no blame with the police for using firearms during the incident. He also said Puru’s behaviour was out of character and that he came from a stable family. His Honour said that a medical report indicated that Puru had a pathological absorption with television.

He said the report indicated that Puru had been influenced by one particular television programme in which the “heroes” drove high-powered cars at high speed and always appeared to outwit the seemingly inept police enforcements.