Threats a ‘cry for help, protection’

Press, 29 August 1984, Page 6

Threats a ‘cry for help, protection’

A retired . man, who threatened to burn down the houses of two lawyers and a judge, was given a two-year suspended sentence by Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday. The defendant had previously admitted three charges of attempting to intimidate the complainants on November 3 last year by making threatening telephone calls. Counsel, Mr D. H. P. Dawson, told the Court that the defendant was “extremely ashamed” of his actions and asked that an apology be forwarded to the complainants. He had never intended to carry out his threats — they were a cry for help and protection. In the months leading up to this incident the defendant had been the subject of some harrassment. Mr Dawson said the defendant’s car had been vandalised four times, he had been accosted twice, his spectacles broken twice, he had received obscene telephone calls, had obscenities

painted on his house, and stones had been thrown at himself, his mother, and on to the roof of his house in the middle of the night Nothing had been done about most of these incidents as it had generally not been possible to identify the offender, but the defendant was clear in his own mind who was responsible, Mr Dawson said.

Then on November 3, 1983, the defendant learned that this man bad appeared in court and been granted bail. He had known the man had been arrested and had thought he was safe. Mr Dawson said the defendant had a history of anxiety and depression with drug and alcohol use to try to overcome it.

Everything became too much for him and he rang the complainants to try to make them do something to protect him against this man.'Mr Dawson said it was significant that the defendant called people he thought might be able to do something. The two lawyers had

previously acted for the man.

He said that the defendant’s fears were not totally unfounded because this man was later sent to jail for four years on another charge. Judge Fraser said it was now known that the defendant had neither the means nor the intention to carry out his threats. They were the means by which he vented his anger and frustration about the criminal activities of another person, but still must have caused alarm and concern to the complainants and their families. Accepting a submission from Mr Dawson that a suspended sentence was appropriate, the Judge said the defendant had no previous convictions, had faced his problems and accepted treatment, and had tendered an apology through counsel. The defendant was granted final suppression of name.

Mr B. M. Stanaway appeared for the Crown.